Kinships
by avatarTingal
Summary: Why is Jake's avatar so different? There are a lot of questions and we will see if it was made by the RDA  or someone else ?
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I don't own Avatar or Pandora and I don't make any profit by writing this.**

**Author's note:** And here we are again! As I promised , here's the new story. It has some bits of science in it. I'll try to research so careful as possible. Hope I don't produce a scientific mess though :-))

This story actually continues "Two Minutes", but it is not only about Mo'at's view of things, but of course, she will have a (even quite important) say in it. So, "Two Minutes" had it's end on the evening of Jake's final transfer. "Kinships" starts the morning after.

Summary: Why is Jake's avatar so different? There are a lot of questions and we will see the mistakes of the RDA (or someone else)?

Chapter 1: The very first morning

Jake felt the sunlight through his closed eyelids, stretched sleepily his limbs and awoke finally when he felt something warm at his side. His beloved Neytiri, his mate. He opened his eyes, sat up in a rush, just to fell back dizzily onto his bedding.

It was true.

He was in his only real body now, not longer in that broken human corpse he was originally born in. And as well not longer in a borrowed body which needed machines for him to live in. He was truly Na'vi now - no longer a dreamwalker.

He remembered himself opening his eyes yesterday, lying under the tree of souls, Neytiri's face hovering above him. It had worked...

The rest of the events were all kind of a blur. He had been so tired, he barely realized the two men carrying him and laying him down softly on his bedding. After this, there was Neytiri, pressing a cup with broth against his lips, urging him to drink.

Then that short moment of afterglow was over. Neytiri awoke and watched him happily: "Good morning, my Jake. Did you sleep well?"

He answered smiling: "Good morning, my love. I dreamed. For the first time I dreamed in this, in my body"

"Yes, I watched you. Was it a good dream?"

He looked in her eyes a for long time, not sure about telling her about his dream. But he was so happy, so proud."I saw both of us, sitting in the den of a new Hometree. And that's not all. We were..."he took a deep breath, "We were playing with our child. Neytiri, we will have a son!"

Now his mate laughed lowly:" Eywa did tell you, before I could. Yes, it is true. But I didn't know it would be a son. Eywa blessed you truly. I'm sure, you are the first male ever who knows the gender of his child before it's mother knows it!"

"You are...? You really are...?" Jake was gasping, overwhelmed by his feelings, when Neytiri nodded.

"But, that means, you were already pregnant at the battle!", he realized shocked, remembering having them no oportunity to mate since that night at the tree of voices.

"My Jake, I didn't know then. It has been only two days, since I've been sure about it and mother confirmed that I'm expecting! Just let us be happy now and look forward to our child..." and with these words embraced him .

After some minutes of kissing and hugging Jake tried to get up, ignoring the fact that his arms were shaking heavily and his head was in a daze.

Neytiri hold him down: "No, my Jake, you are supposed to stay in bed, at least until tomorrow!"

"But Neytiri!" he looked at her, quite flustered at the moment, "I, ... you see, I must go...You understand..?"

She reached behind her and produced a gourd: "You use this! You are not allowed to get up!"

Jake laid down again, sighing: "Ok,ok. Got it. Could at least I do ...this...alone?"

His mate got up, now laughing openly: " Of course! Do, what you have to do and I go and get breakfast for us!"

She was just stepping out of the grove, when suddenly her mother stood before her, carrying two leaf plates with teylu and roasted vegetables. "Good morning, my daughter! How is he doing?"

"Good morning, Mother! Jake is doing just fine. He even tried to get up..."Neytiri giggled.

"Oh, I hope, you didn't let him do that! He still needs time to recover."

"No, Mother of course not! Even without my chastising he couldn't get up. His arms were shaking by just steadying him when he sat up. I gave him the gourd, as you advised. And then he wanted to be alone...", she couldn't help to prevent a giggle again.

"Don't laugh, Neytiri! Your mate may be easygoing and friendly most of the time, but he is nonetheless a proud man too. It's just natural that he doesn't want neither onlookers nor any help with this. He's not a small child!" Mo'at reprimanded her,"Wait a moment, then give him his breakfast. And you should eat to!" I will go for a walk to that metalbox - Site 26 - and see, if I can fetch Normspellman and Maxpatel. They wanted to see their friend before they return to Hell's Gate."

With these words, Mo'at turned and wandered alone on the peaceful path which led to the humans temporary home.

The strange smell of metal filled her nose even before she could see the strange thing the humans lived in. On the right side stood their flying machine, sleeping. No humans were outside, but when she approached nearer, she could see some movement behind the eyes of the human's home. Windows, they called them windows, she remembered from her talks with Graceaugustine.

"Normspellman, Maxpatel !", Mo'at called. No reaction. Then she remembered another talk with Graceaugustine and suddenly she knew what to do. It was a very strange thing though and she was happy she brought no-one of the People with her. Probably they would think, their Tsahik became a bit strange in her old days. And so she went to the metalbox and hammered her knuckles against the window. Two persons in the box literally jumped up, seemingly yelping in surprise.

Normspellman's face appeared behind the window, wide-eyed. When he recognized her, he smiled and motioned her to wait outside. _"Good. Because I have absolutely no intention to enter that strange thing!"_, she thought.

Mo'at turned and chuckled a bit to herself. The expression on Normspellman's face had been hilarious.

A few minutes later the two scientists left the metal home, wearing their breathingmasks again.

After exchanging the Good Morning's, Mo'at said: " I'm sure, you would like to visit Jakesully now before you leave. He's awake and having breakfast in this moment."

"Did he said something?" Normspellman asked.

"Of course ! He 's really doing fine", Mo'at answered cheerfully.

" I mean, about yesterday...the transfer process..", asked the scientist in an unsure manner.

"I don't know, "the Tsahik said," But I've got some questions too." After a short look to the puzzled scientists she continued:" Is one of you involved in ...making dreamwalker bodies?"

"No, I'm an anthropologist, uh somebody who is involved in languages, customs and practices of...different people, clans, I mean.", Normspellman answered.

"Well, I don't produce them actually, but one of my tasks is to care for the dreamwalker bodies. So I know quite a lot about them.", Maxpatel said slowly, "So feel free to ask me and I try my best to give you an answer."

"When Jakesully came to us, I noticed immediatly that he is different. First: his face. And other things as well.."

"Oooh yes, his noose ! We were wondering about this too, but I guess, he has got just a bit more Na'vi genom than the other avatars. But what do you mean with _other things_ ?" Max asked Mo'at, his curiosity awakened.

"Jakesully is a male." Mo'at said .

"Yes, of course he is a male, because in his ...human form he's male too."

"He is a _mature_ male," Mo'at said,"Every dreamwalker I saw until now was sterile as a child. But when Jakesully first arrived to the Omaticaya, I noticed a certain smell. And - as I am to my people, what you call a doctor - I _examined_ him," Mo'at happily remembered that word from her talks with Graceaugustine.

Maxpatel stopped walking, turned to Mo'at and was just able to say:" Um, pardon?"

"Do you really think, I don't know anything about my peoples bodies?", she challenged the scientist, "After I noticed his smell, all I had to do was to have a look under his tail. And - lo and behold (another of Graceaugustine's expressions, Mo'at remembered) - Jakesully _is_ a male. I don't know how you name this things, small buds, which produce smelling fluid. He has a complete set of it, still small at that time though, but promising that he would be a fully grown male in two or three months. And this was proved, as my daughter is pregnant." she finished triumphantly her sentence.

"Noo, no, that can't be true! All avatars are were made so. The RDA didn't want any possibility of fraternization!" Maxpatel was stunned,"This is simply impossible!"

"Are you accusing my daughter of betraying her mate?", Mo'at asked him sharply.

"No, of course not!", Maxpatel answered lowly." But I've got no explanation of his fertility."

"This is an very interesting riddle to be solved !", the Tsahik said.

They were silent until they approached the grove of Jake and Neytiri.


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I don't own Avatar or Pandora and I don't make any profit by writing this.**

**Autor's notice. Sorry for this very late update. Had some trouble in my life and lack of inspiration. Anyway, here it is: chapter 2!**

**Sorry for the words missing. Don't know why, but they simply disappeared when I did upload the file.  
**

Chapter 2

Jake had just finished his meal and felt sleepy again. He didn't eat his usual amount of teylu and Neytiri was just about to encourage him to eat a bit more, when he heard well known voices, indicating that Norm and Max were approaching the grove.

"Hey, bigboy, how are you doing?", asked Norm cheerfully, but the shades under his eyes spoke clearly of an sleepless night. Max greeted and gave Jake a very strange to look to him before he nodded smiling.

Despite his weakness Jake felt rather comfortable. It was much easier to eat or have a talk with any visitors after Neytiri stuffed a big amount of moss under the bed-head of his bedding. " Hey guys," he smiled at them:"I'm just a bit tired. Beside of that, I'm fit as a fiddle.."

His visitors sat down close to his bedding, together with Mo'at and Max immediatly took off his backpack, opened the zippers and unpacked a portable medical diagnosis unit.

"Hey, whoaa, what you're planning? I'm feeling good and I definitely don't need any electrodes slapped on my ass!"

Max couldn't resist to grow a broad grin: "Just a short checkup. But interesting that you mention your ass as there lies the answere to a very interesting question we were discussing on our way to you."

Jake scowled at the scientists :"What the hell are you talking about?"

"We were just told the good news by your mother-in-law. At first I couldn't believe it," said Max when he put the electrodes on Jake's forehead, breast and the crook of his left arm, " As you know, all avatars are made sterile. And, umh, not only that. The genetic engineers make sure that in the male avatars is just so much testosterone produced as needed for a full developed body. When the body is fully matured, the production stops. Result: No , erm, desire. You know what I mean?"

When Max finished his explanation, slightly flustered, Neytiri burst out laughing. " Jake and...,"she searched for a fitting word,"...unable?" She continued her laughing and Jake's face blushed in a deep purple colour.

"Ah haha, surely you are joking," she said breathless.

" Umh, Neytiri, please...," pleaded her mate, meanwhile totally flabbergasted, looking at the deeply blushed faces of his human friends. Norm was definitely searching a stone to crouch under. Neytiri steadied herself:" Maxpatel, my mate gave me enough to make at least three children. And why you are all changing the colour of your skin?"

Mo'at smiled slightly:" Daughter, I think the humans don't talk about these things so openly as we do. But the question why Jakesully's body is so different from the other dreamwalkers I was asking myself too."

Max meanwhile fussed over his notebook and said finally" Bloodpressure is a bit low, but everything else is okay." and took off the electrodes again. "So, would you please turn around now? I'd like to have a look at these glands"

"Oh no! And that's my final word! Look out for another guinea pig!", Jake snarled.

Max sighed:" I thought as much. May I at least get some bloodsamples of you? The answere to our question could be quite important."

"Why?", asked Jake suspiciously.

"Because I think someone manipulated your avatar." He was too tactful to mention that it was actually made for Jake's brother and he didn't know if Jake spoke about this with Neytiri,"The differences are too much to be happened accidentally. Someone must have _planned_ to produce an avatar which would be as close to a Na'vi as possible."

_You must have known about this. What were you up to, Tommy?_, Jake thought when he nodded slowly at Max, "Ok, go on!"

After Max had filled two small tubes with Jake's blood he said: " When we're back at Hell's Gate, I will immedeatly start a genetical analysis, then compare the result with the documentation by the genetic engineer who made your avatar. This should give us at least a hint about what happened. But this will take a few days. There's no use for you to think about this until we'll get - hopefully - an answere. Just take your time to recover. And - regarding to your looks - I think you should sleep now. "

" He is right," said Mo'at, looking solicitously at Jake:" You must give yourself the time to recover. You have to be patient for a few day's length. Sleep well my son." With these words she got up and indicated to the others to follow her. Before they left the grove, Jake was already fast asleep.

When they returned to the side 26, Mo'at acompagnied them for a while.

Norm said:" It is nice to see that Jake has got not only a wonderful mate, but a very friendly mother-in- law too."

Mo'at replied. " I am not only his mother in law. Jakesully is my son. I adopted him," and when she saw the puzzled glance of the scientists she continued." Maybe, one day I will tell you why. But for now... When we will hear from you again?"

"I think, I will have the results of the test in two days. I'll need another few days to compare the results with the documentation written by the genetic engineer who made the avatar. So, let's say, maybe in four or five days we will get in touch with you per radio," he faced the Tsahik, "What do you think, how long will it take for him to recover?"

Mo'at answered:" His ordeal was very hard. Maybe a week until he can walk around. But when he will get his full strength back? I don't know. Maybe three weeks or more." Facing Norm, as his knowledge of the language of the People was better than Maxpatel's, she continued:"But I have another question too. What means this word you said: _manipulated_?" Norm answered:" It means that someone made Jakesully's dreamwalker body not in the way as it was intended by the skypersons. Wer must find out if this was done by a friend or an enemy - and why."

The Tsahik nodded slowly: " This could be very important for our future. But my sense is telling me that this is not the only important thing you will find out. Please tell me everything you might discover."

" We will do so," said Norm," But at first you should speak with your son about ...the way he came to your world.", added Norm hesitantly, "This might be important too." Mo'at gave Norm a puzzled look: "What do you try to to say without telling me?"

"Just ask him. I think, it's .. not my place to tell you this." Mo'at did look at the human intendly:" I will do so. I think there are a lot of things, still... hidden."

With these words she bid her farewell to the friends of Toruk Makto - her son - as she thought proudly, and went back to the temporary camp of the Omaticaya.


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: I don't own Avatar or Pandora and I don't make any profit by writing this.**

Author's note: Pandoran beings dont have an DNA, but NVTranscriptase. I think, there are different amino acids involved than in terran beings. So, when you are making an avatar, at first you have to translate the human DNA into NVTranscriptase.

Chapter 3

Jake and Tommy were playing hide and seek. Not that Tommy ever was really good at this game - Jake found him _always_ - but nontheless they had their fun, especially when their parents weren't at home, like today and the twins had got free range in their 3-bedroom home. Mom and Dad would return quite late in the evening from their trip to uncle Ray's funeral. He was Dad's last living relative, but the twins knew him only from photos their dad had showed them, so they weren't that much concerned about his death when last week the message came - one month after their twelfth birthday. So, two days ago their parents flew to Chicago to arrange the funeral and dissolve uncle Ray's apartment. During these days a nanny had been with the boys, but she had to leave earlier in the afternoon because of a problem with her own family.

So the twins were enjoying their run of the house. And of course they didn't suspect that this evening was the last time they had an happy and careless hour together, unaware that their parents were already dead at this moment.

Just now it was Jake's turn to seek. He chuckled, because even before he finished counting he knew where Tom did hide himself - in the closet in their parents bedroom. The noise of the closet's door did betray Tom. As mentioned before, his brother wasn't really good at sneaking. So Jake went on tiptoes in the bedroom, planning to shock his sibling by suddenly yanking open the door. But as he did, it was Jake's turn to be surprised. There were only their parent's clothes - no Tommy...Strange. Not only strange, but simply impossible. His brother had never before managed to trick him.

Suddenly Jake was pinned down by Tommy's weight on his shoulders. His brother was surprisingly heavy, Jake thaught astonished. He couldn't move, even breathing was difficult. "_What were you up to, Tommy?",_ Jake gasped. He heard Tom's amused chuckles._ "Ask uncle Ray's fat wart!", _Tommy said...

Jake woke up, gasping and drenched in sweat. Neytiri had laid her hand on his cheek, looking at him intently:"Did you have a bad dream, my Jake?"

"No, not actually a bad dream. It was about my brother..." he said.

"Tell me!"

While Jake shared his strange dream with Neytiri, Norm and Max were on their flight back to Hell's Gate. Norm said hardly any word, because flying the Samson always was inevitably connected with memories of Trudy. He rembered her clever little hands, leading his fingers softly when she taught him to fly her baby. Afterwards they went usually back into the shack and in an instant, Trudy ripped his clothes off before they even reached his bunk. He remembered the scent of her bronze coloured skin, intensifying during their lovemaking, whispering words to him he never thought a woman would ever tell him. His heart was wrenching. They had just enough time together to discover they were meant for each other, then she was gone, dying in a fireball. Dying in a suicidal maneuver he couldn't understand.

Was she with Eywa now ? He desperately hoped they would be reunited, one day, he was longing for her. His life suddenly became empty, totally empty in one big explosion...

_"I love you, Norm!"_ When he remembered her last words , his hands started shaking slightly.

_" I love you too. But I can't live without you anymore."_ he thought.

" Are you ok, Norm?", Max asked him, being concerned if his colleague really was able to fly the tiltrotor.

"Yeah, just a bit tired," he said, looking at the controls," ETA in 8 minutes. I 'll call the flight operator now."

After a smooth landing without any problems, they were heading immediatly to the bio-lab.

Max went to the NVTranscriptase sequencer, the counterpart of a terran's DNA sequencer. After inserting one of the tubes filled with Jake's blood, he initialized the analysis process. The other tube he put in a freezer for reference. "So, now we've just got to wait for a few hours. In the meantime, I'll have a look on that documentation, " Max said contendedly.

"If you are tired, maybe you should have a nap now?", the scientist said to Norm.

"No, I don't think I can sleep right now," said Norm." Is there anything to do for me?"

" Yes, you could start a network search for to any files referring to Jake Sully or his brother , I'll give you the administrator's password." murmured Max, writing a column of letters and numbers on a small sheet of recycled paper.

"Hey, since when the head of the biolab has got administrator's authorization?" asked Norm surprised.

" Since Dr. Amy Chang hacked the system, two days before," Max grinned."I think, you already know Grace's assistant? She tried to gain access before the battle at the Tree of Souls started, but the password changes were too fast. After the Venture Star left, she was finally successful"

"I'll start working right now!" said Norm, looking for a terminal to work on. He never considered the possibilitiy the meek assistant of Grace being a true hacker.

Finally, in a secluded corner of the lab, he found a terminal for undisturbed working. Norm logged in and started to search out Hell's Gate's intranet and every message which might have came in from earth.

30 minutes later he was successful. The e-mail folder of Jake Sully contained an unread message. The addressor was a certain Ray Sully. Norm decided not to read that e-mail. Instead he saved the folder to a memory chip. _"I hope, we'll get an answer, but this is your decision, Jake"_ he thought.


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: I don't own Avatar or Pandora and I don't make any profit by writing this.**

Author's Note: Thanks a lot for the reviews and my special thanks to BigBlueJake for your help.

Chapter 4

While Max and Norm were investigating in Hells Gate, trying to figure out what happened to Jake's avatar, or more exactly Jake's body, the Na'vi in question was brooding over his dream.

Neytiri had dutifully listened to him when he shared the dream with her, but she didn't know what to say about it's meaning. So his mate decided to ask her mother for her opinion.

Sighing, Jake recalled his dream again and compared it with his own memory of that day - that last happy time he had with his brother.

He did remember this early evening perfectly. And suddenly it came to him that the dream didn't match to his memory. Yes, Tommy tried to hide in their parent's closet, but in fact, Jake did found him and played his little prank. Tommy was literally screaming, when Jake yanked open the door .

He never asked his brother about what he was up to, neither Tommy did pounce on him out of the nowhere. And the most weird thing in that dream was Tommy's answere._ "Ask Uncle Ray's fat wart."_

Hell, what was this about ? Jake tried to memorize the photos of Ray Sully his father showed him and his brother. He remembered weakly a middle aged man with grey hair and a scruffy beard. Their father had told them his elder brother worked as a facility manager in Chicago and that he lived alone in a very small apartment. Neither had Ray his brothers abilities to get a scholarship in Stanford nor his luck to make a decent career as a chief engineer in a big multinational company. Appearently, his uncle had been a simple man without any great expetations from life. And just like this was his face, thought Jake. There hadn't been any distinctive characteristics - aside from the beard.

Ray Sully seldom contacted their father and if he did it was mostly to beg his brother for some money. He never showed even the slightest interest in his nephews or their mother. So why he was part of Jake's dream?

Damn, he felt so weak and tired, he would ask Mo'at about his thoughts later.

Just after thinking this, Jake was dozing off again .

The next morning Max and Norm met in the - now quite underpopulated - cafeteria, also called "Hell's Kitchen" for the general daily meeting with the remaining inhabitants of Hell's Gate. There were the seven avatar drivers and a group of nine people - medical staff, technicians and scientists - who decided to stay on Pandora - and where allowed by the Na'vi to do so. Of course Jake was the most important topic of the conversation among the people, but Max and Norm decided to hold back closer information concerning their investigating on Jake's avatar - no, damn - his real body now and they didn't tell their colleagues that Jake was to become a father. The scientists still couldn't hardly believe what happened two days before. And of course, some of the avatar drivers where wondering how Jake and Neytiri could...Well, everyone knew finally that his avatar shouldn't be able to conduct a normal marital life, so to speak. Louise expressed openly her suspicions how a vigorous and sensual Na'vi woman could be contend to live a platonic relationship with her mate.

Max countered, this were Jake's and Neytiri's private business and that the team should have more important things to do than to chat about juicy details of the couple's sex life.

After the meeting was finished, Max and Norm headed to the Bio lab.

Norm was bursting with curiosity: "So, the genetic analysis should be finished by now. Did you had a look on it already?"

"The sequenzer spit out the results about an hour ago. I didn't had the time to look them through. So lets start right now. The guy who made the avatar was a certain Dr. Carell. His documentation contained nothing unuasual concerning the production and growing of Sully's avatar. Just the usual three sources of NVTranscriptase, combined with the translated DNA of Dr. Tom Sully. The growing process went absolutely normal. The whole document was indicating the body of Jake was just developing the same way as any standard avatar. I checked the reference numbers of the Na'vi sources - nothing special. They came from three bloodsamples of Omaticaya children, who visited with their parents Hell's Gate fourteen years ago. Dr. Gliese, who was the first head of the Bio lab sweet-talked their parents for allowance to let him take the bloodsamples. ", answered Max. " Now lets have look on the results of the sequencer."

After the results appaered on his display, Max whistled lowly:" And here we've got our first surprise! The sequence which should inhibit hormonal production isn't just deactivated, as I thought first - it was never inserted in the genom. And here! The avatar contains only 1.4 percent of transferred human DNA, enough for initializing the link process and adding some human features, but a lesser percentage than in any other avatar I saw until now. And now comes the biggest doozie: There is just one NVTranscriptase source..."Max shook his head, completely dumbfounded:" This is against every directive for producing avatars. The risk of getting nonviable embryos is much to high when just one genetic source is used, due to genetic defects the source might got."

"Can you find out the reference number of the used NVTranscriptase?" asked Norm astounded.

"Sure, no problem.", his friend nodded and entered a command on the keyboard.

" a420122125... , hm so the sample is from 2125 - That's before Hell's Gate was built. Back then, Gliese had only a complex of some shack modules to work in - it must have been one of the first genetic samples ever taken of a Na'vi. There wasn't still any mining that time as the first geological research had just started by then. The records say that the interactions of the research team with the Na'vi were rather friendly as the Na'vi were merely curious about us and they still didn't know what was going to happen to their forest. I'll search the file belonging to the reference number now, but this will take some time."


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: I don't own Avatar or Pandora and I don't make any profit by writing this.**

Chapter 5

After their talk Norm retreated to his room to continue his phytology studies  
- he decided to develope for himself a new field of knowledge. These days there weren't really lots of work to do for an anthropologist and after learning some basics of botany, he would at least be able to help Dr. Chang to classify the numberless plant specimens Grace had collected. And work prevented him from thinking about..what happened.

The most interesting thing he learned about Pandorian flora until now was the fact that a lot of plants weren't exactly plants but a combination of herbal and animal life - the botanists called them "planimals".

Suddenly someone rudely bumped at his door. After Norm called:" Come in!", Max rushed in, closed the door behind him before he exclaimed :" Holy Shit! They did use stem-cells!

"W-what? But how they got stem-cells ? And why that makes such a difference?"

"Ok, listen, I'll try to explain...The danger of genetic inconsistence wasn't the only reason for the directive to use at least three NVTranscriptase sources. The RDA wanted to prevent avatar drivers to discover -umh, let's say - relatives among the Na'vi. They wanted to exclude any risk of fraternisation, and for the same reason they inhibited the production of sexual hormones in the avatars. Exept from that- as you can figure - of course stem-cells you won't get by just taking blood samples - they are hardly procurable, because you usually get them from umbilical blood. But the Na'vi always bury the umbilical cord very carefully under the roots of their Hometree. They want it given back to Eywa.", Max exhaled, slowly calming down," Though, using stem-cells would simplify the production of avatars a damn lot, as the NVTranscriptase of stem-cells is a lot more stable than the genetic material of normal blood-cells , so, First: only one source would be enough. Second: as the translated human DNA could be directly integrated into the cell - with the right stimulants, the embryo could grow, without all the complications which happen if you use artificial oocytes. The only problem remaining would be the translation of the human DNA to NVTranscriptase. So far the scientific relevance. But now, what would this mean for Jake? It would mean, that he has - at least in a genetic meaning - that he has a Na'vi brother. And we even know, where he lives - if he's still alive.."

"Oh man...",gasped Norm. After a pause he said:" Look, Jake lost already his twin-brother, and then Tsu'tey died, who was at the end someone very close to a brother for Jake. And he's recovering from an ordeal we can't imagine. We shouldn't tell him about this whole grazy thing, at least not before we find out what happened to Jake's "Na'vi brother". So, what information contained the file of the reference number?"

"Gliese indicated that he and his team had made very decent progress, concerning the research as well as the contacts to the Na'vi. They associated with the Tipani Clan in an openminded and friendly way. He couldn't say if the Na'vi were maybe even more curious about the humans than the humans about the Na'vi. The Na'vi seemed to learn English much faster than Gliese's team grasped the Na'vi language.

Dr. Carol Linner, who was the medical scientist of Gliese's research team made friends with Ney'ite, the healer and midwife of the Tipani Clan. The report related then to that very special NVTranscriptase sample they got. It was the twentieth of December in 2125, 00:25. The team was about to hit the bunks when Ney'ite hammered at the door, calling to Dr. Linner. Carol took her transmitter, put her exopack on and went out. After she spoke to Ney'ite, Carol called per transmitter the team. A young woman was labouring and there were complications: Breech birth - an extremely rare event at Na'vi births. Ney'ite said the young woman was to die, exept the sky people did know a way to resque her. As we know, the Na'vi have got a very sophisticated medicine, but their knowledge about surgery is rather poor - they simply don't need it normally. And so, of course they didn't know anything about C-section. Dr. Linner went with the healer and she returned twenty minutes later with Ney'ite and two Na'vi males who were carrying a young woman on an improvised guerney. One of the man who carried the guerney was the mate of the woman in labour. Dr. Linner called over the transmitter two of her colleagues, while Ney'ite tried to calm down the young Na'vi, who was close to a nervous breakdown. She told him, this birth couldn't happen the usual way this time and he couldn't take part of it as it was _the way_. They brought the woman, her name was Amiryat in a container without earth atmosphere. In the meantime managed Dr. Gliese with the help of the other Na'vi male to sedate the overexited Sílron'zem - the mate of Amiryat - with 1000 mg Subotican.", Max chuckled,"I think, Jake would remember this kind of stuff if the med staff in the ambient room would have been a little bit faster.", then he continued:" To cut a long story short: Mother and child survived the C-section. After Sílron'zem awakened, he and his mate named the child - a son - Tsanten. But when everyone was exiteted about the new child, Dr. Gliese secretely took a blood sample of the umbilical cord and labeled it a420122125 - something that the Na'vi wouldn't have ever approved. So, that's Jake's brother: Tsanten of the Tipani Clan, son of Sílron'zem and Amiryat."

" And what happened then?", asked Norm.

"I don't know exactly. A few weeks later the RDA began to build Hell's Gate. The contact to the Tipani Clan broke of. We never hard anything from them again - exept what we get to know from the Omatikaya."

Norm said: "We should tell Mo'at that story."


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Avatar or Pandora and I don't make any profit by writing this.**

**Author's Note:**

I know, a long time has passed since my last update and I'm really, really sorry for this. To be honest, I actually planned to give up this story because the storyline is going to be so complex that it might overcharge my abilities of expression in English ( as you know, English isn't my first language).But as I got sooo nice reviews (Thank you BigBootyBaby for your "Guten taag":-) ), I decided to try to continue the story. I hope, you all will enjoy the further chapters.

After his talk with Norm Max went to the com-ops-center to contact Mo'at via the radio. It was amazing how fast the Na'vi adapted to the new technology. By no means they saw it as something magical, even when they still didn't know how exactly radio transmission worked. They were highly spiritual people but in no way superstitious and their view on the radio was the same than on any other tool. It was useful for talking to Hell's Gate, (though they didn't have any use for it among themselves) , it didn't harm the people or their living world, so they simply accepted it.

Max wondered if the Na'vi would be changed through the contact with the human technology. His thinking was interupted by a Na'vi answering his call. "Here Meuia at Tree of Souls. Who is speaking?" said the voice in accented but fluent English.

"Maxpatel from Hell's Gate. May I speak the Tsahik, please?"

"She is right here. You may speak to her now.", came the answer.

Max asked Mo'at about Jake's progress and she had good news for him. The recovery went faster than she hoped and Jake was already able to leave his bed for short times. The hunters he sent out for searching a new hometree were seemingly successful and they found at least three trees which might be appropriate for becoming the Omatikaya's new home. As soon as Jake had regained his full strength again he would fly with Neytiri to the suggested trees to examine them and - hopefully - the Omatikaya could move to a new home soon.

After hearing that, Max went on with his own news, but, regarding the circumstances under which the genetic material for Jake's body was "collected", he didn't gave any specific details. He told Mo'at that he'd prefer to speak to her face to face and asked for her allowance to fly to the Tree of Souls the next day and she accepted. After a short pause she asked:" Will Normspellman come with you again?"

"Yes. I think so. He enjoys visiting the Omatikaya and he is able to fly the gunship.", Max answered somehow puzzled. "How is he doing?" Mo'at inquired.

"Oh, he is doing well, I think. Why are you asking this?"

"No, he does not well. Take care of him until tomorrow. Then I will speak to him myself." countered the Tsahik.

"What's wrong with Norm?"asked Max, now really alarmed.

"Someone who was once ... close to him gave me a warning. Watch him and let me take care of him tomorrow." answered Mo'at enigmatical.

"Ok, if you say so then I will watch him." Max replied worried, " We'll meet you tomorrow then."

After saying goodbye to Mo'at, Max went again to the living quarters to speak with Norm about Mo'at's dark warning - but Norm's room was empty. Suddenly getting a bad feeling he hurried to the linkroom. Maybe one of the avatar drivers, which should be returning right now, did see his colleague and friend.

Charles, a geologist, was just getting out of the link when Max entered the room. "Did you see Dr. Spellman?" Max asked him, trying not to show his momentary anxiety.

"Hm, yes. He was heading toward the gardens, just before I prepared to unlink. Is something wrong? You're looking as white as a bed sheet."

"No, no.." murmured the head of the biolab, betraying himself by the speed in which he was pacing out of the link room. The bad feeling was now suddenly growing into a panic.

When Max, after hastily putting on an exopack, did finally reach the gardens, he could see Norm nowhere.

He went through the neat rows of the plants and then he nearly stumbled about a pair of feet, protruding between two bushes . "Norm!", Max yelled, "Damn, what are you doing there?" No answer.

He moved the twigs aside. Norm was lying there - without his exopack!

He was still breathing though - the short, fast breathing of someone who's dying by a carbon dioxide intoxication. Max found Norm's exopack under the bush beside him and he put it quickly on Norm's head. The respiration slowly normalized again and Norm did open his eyes.

"Norm! Damn! What the hell where you up to?", Max shouted frantically.

" I'd like to think that's quite self-evident - at least for a qualified scientist like you.", Norm answered coolly, " I can't stand living without her. "

" Damn! Mo'at warned me, but I wouldn't have thought that you were about to trying this!"

"How could she know...?" Norm asked feebly.

"She is a Tsahik, you fool - which means she is a psychologist too. And a damn good one, by the way. She wanted to talk with you, tomorrow, when I intended to fly to the Tree of Souls." Max sighed, "And she told me something about a warning she got - a warning concerning you. That was what alarmed me. And I don't even believe in their goddess! ", Max said disbelievingly. "I think, you should listen to whatever she has to say to you.", he added lowly.

" Ok then," Norm sighed, " I promise, I won't try this again. Let's fly tomorrow."

"No way! No way! Not in your unstable state of mind. We will fly tomorrow - but I'll ask Anderson to fly the Samson." When Norm started to counter, Max said: " Argument closed. Anderson will fly."

Norm nodded: " Ok, after what I just tried , it's probably only reasonable for you to name someone else as pilot."

After a short while Norm was able to get up. They walked slowly back to the living quarters.

On their way they made a short stop at the medical facility and Max grasped a package of tranquilizers, taking out two pills. "Hey, I won't need these!", Norm protested.

Max said:" Well, I trust you. But I don't trust your mental state. You take these and I can go to sleep a bit more quiet, knowing that you will be too tired this night to try anything stupid again ."

Norm finally swallowed the pills reluctantly, but accepting that this wasn't something to negotiate. Max accompagnied him to his room. The tranquilizer worked quite fast and after making sure that his colleague was sleeping, Max went to Anderson's room.

The elder technician was slightly surprised when Max asked him to fly to the Tree of Souls the next day.

" But Spellman knows the route. Why won't he fly? Is he sick?", he asked.

"Yes, hmm, nothing serious though. A slight inflammation of the middle ear. He will fly with us, but the medics can't give him the allowance to pilote a tiltrotor right now. Is the route a problem for you?", Max inquired.

"No, not really. I'll fly round the Halleluja Mountains in a wide circle. so we should reach the Tree of Souls without any problems. And by the way, I'm happy to get to see finally what we were fighting for.", Anderson stated.

Max smiled. He knew that Anderson was absolutely trustable. He backed the avatar team by securing the doors and shutting down the alarm systems when they conquered the com-ops-center, happy that he could finally go active. Max knew that Anderson was an activist, a member of the Na'vi rights movement, but he didn't had the opportunity to make a change so far - exept for sending sad messages back to earth about what was happining to the Na'vi. Max knew that Anderson was crying after what happened at the school, when he saw the pictures of the dead children. The destruction of the hometree was even a deeper shock for him. It might seem as not very much what Anderson did during the battle at the Tree of Souls - but it made the difference. With his backing, they were able to conquer the com-center nearly undisturbed, without any casualities.

With this feelings he left Anderson, looking forward to the flight on the next day.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Avatar or Pandora and I don't make any profit by writing this.**

Early in the morning Max and Norm met in the hangar for their flight to the Tree of Souls. Their pilot carried a sport bag with him, which piqued their curiosity.

"What's in the bag?" asked Norm.

"Oh, just rubber balls. I thought the poor kids could use a bit of distraction. So I induced the stereolithiographic plant to produce some bouncy balls. Just'n hour's work. No big deal, but I think, they will have fun with them.", the technician said.

Despite Anderson beeing so exited to meet the Na'vi and finally to get to see their most sacred ground, he fully concentrated on piloting the Samson. After all, it wasn't really an easy route. Three hours later they prepared to land savely beside the shack which was originally part of site 26. They announced their arrival and to their surprise it was Jake who answered the call.

"Ok, what's your ETA?"

Anderson answered obligingly " ETA in about 12 minutes Corporal Sully, Sir!"

Max could hear a very short chuckle at the other end but then Jake answered." There's no longer a Corporal Sully. He died a few days before. I'm Jakesully, Olo'eyctan of the Omaticaya. But you can just call me Jake."

"I read you, C...Jake! We will land beside the shack, sir!"

"Got it; roger. Over and out!" answered Jake.

After a smooth landing Max, Norm and Anderson exited the Samson.

"Well, I don't know if the Na'vi would approve to your attendance. I think, it would be the best if you stay in the shack until I've spoken with Mo'at.", said Max, facing Anderson, "But if she agrees, I'll send someone to fetch you. How good is your Na'vi?"

"Enough for small talk and maybe a bit more; I wasn't just lazy all the time I've been living here on Pandora," the elder activist grinned.

"Ok then. If she agrees then someone will come to fetch you. If she doesn't, than you should stay in the shack. At least you won't need an exopack there." Max turned to Norm, who had hardly say anything during the whole flight:" Ok then, let's go!"

While they were walking the path to the Omatikaya's current camp Max asked Norm," You've got the datastick containing the message for Jake with you?"

"Yeah, and a notebook as well," Norm nodded.

"Good. The first thing will be to talk with Mo'at. I'm afraid she won't be very pleased when she learns about the way Gliese got the genetic material for Jake's avatar body." Max sighed when they arrived at the outskirts of the Omatikaya camp.

"You bet," sighed Norm,"The returning of the umbilica to Eywa is one of their most sacred taboos."

"Norm, could you do the greeting then? I know some Na'vi, but I won't dare to try any diplomatic negotiations, not to mention to report on broken taboos."

Norm grinned:" I know that your Na'vi isn't much better than Anderson's. Let me do the talking, for god's sake!"

"No argument here." said Max, smiling at the Na'vi who where watching them curiously.

And there was the Tsahik of the Omatikaya, striding toward them after exiting her tent.

Norm greeted her politely (and thinking of what they were going to tell her):" I see you, Mo'at, Tsahik of the Omatikaya. May the Allmother smile on our encounter."

Mo'at smiled:" I see you, Normspellman and Maxpatel. I feel sorry that I cannot provide proper air or proper food for you. But please, let us retire to a place where we can talk undisturbed. Follow me."

After the preliminarys were done, Max explained - with Norm's help - how Jake's body was made and that there was maybe a kind-of-brother among the Tipani. First, though, Norm had to explain the meaning of the word "umbilica". Then Max told her what happened at this fateful twentieth of December in 2125.

Mo'ats reaction was bad, much worse than they had anticipated.

"This man stole the umbilica, the holy bond between mother and child which has to be returned to Eywa after the birth?"

Max and Norm were afraid, facing an outraged Mo'at towering over them vibrating with anger.

Finally Max managed to say:" No, Tsahik. The umilica was given back. Gliese did just draw some blood of it. I know, it's a crime. The parents of the child didn't had any chance to notice the theft - but neither the other members of Gliese's team. And, please remember - this was Jakesully's origin, your adopted son."

Mo'at calmed herself and sighed. " And the names of the parents and the child?"

"The names of the parents were Sílron'zem and Amiryat of the Tipani. They named their son Tsanten," Max answered obliginly.

" The Tipani and the Omaticaya are trading weaving and pottery now for a very long time now." Mo'at said, "I think, I will be able to talk to them about this. But it will have to wait until the Omatikaya are settled down in a new home. Maxpatel, I would like to talk now with Normspellman alone. You may visit my son and my daughter in the meantime."

Max nodded."I will do so, Tsahik. But I have another question." He hesitated slightly, " Norm wasn't able to fly today. So another man - Anderson - steered our gunship. He would very much like to meet the Na'vi and he even brought some toys for the children with him. He's waiting in the shack right now."

"The shaack? The metalbox you call site 26?" asked Mo'at.

"Yes, yes," Max confirmed, " You allow him to visit?"

The Tsahik nodded." I will send Meuia to him. He is very good in speaking the sky people language."

Max nodded, smiling. " Yes, indeed. I spoke to him over the radio." He turned to his colleague. " Would you please give me the datastick and the notebook? While you are talking to Mo'at I could speak with Jake about the message he recieved from this Ray Sully."

Norm nodded and handed Max out the items. "See you later then!"

Max rose and walked in the direction of the place where Jake and Neytiri were living in their "open air apartment" for now. "Until later then!" he said and headed toward the grove.

Near the entry of the grove he saw a handful children playing. After he said a friendly "Hello" to them, one of the girls asked him if he came to see the Olo'eyctan. He nodded, smiling.

The girl giggled and said. "You should wait for some time. You know, the Olo'eyctan and his mate are playing."

He was just about to ask what they were playing, when a hearty groan (obviously Jake!) answered his question. Max blushed and his mouth went slack. Damn! Oh, the children! He herded them hastily back to the main camp, where Anderson should be arrived by now.

"I want to introduce you to a nice man. Uncle Anderson brought toys for you all." he stammered, still feeling totally mortified.

Thank god, there was Anderson, smiling and waving. Ok, the problem was solved, for now, but...How could Jake and Neytiri do...that... out in the open like that? They must heave heard the playing children!

At first the kids hesitated to approach the alien man. But he laughed and said "Hello" to them in his accented Na'vi and soon they lost their shyness. In no time they were chatting in a mix of Na'vi and interspersed English words.

Then Anderson opened the sport bag and presented the bouncing balls .

He demonstrated how to play with them and the children were shrieking with fun when they run after the wildly cavorting balls.

Max sighed contentedly and stood there, feeling unsure about what to do now, when he saw Neytiri coming out of the grove. She noticed him and beckoned, smiling.

Max greeted her and she said: "Jake will be happy to see you. We thought your talk with my mother would have lasted longer. Is Normspellman speaking with her now?"

Max nodded and went with her into the grove.

Jake sat there, no, he was squatting on his heels in the typical Na'vi manner. He was adapting to his new lifestyle quickly.

" Hello there," he grinned," Your journey was ok?"

"Yes. Though Norm wasn't feeling well so Anderson flew the Samson." Max answered.

" What's going on with Norm? Since yesterday Mo'at seems to be somehow concerned about him. But she didn't tell me what she's concerned about."

" He's talking right now with Mo'at. After they're finished he will join us. Don't you want to see to see this mysterious email he found on your account first?" the scientist queried.

"If you say so," muttered Jake, " Ok then, go ahead!"

Max booted up the laptop and inserted the datastick which contained the file in question. Then he handed it over to Jake. The newly made Na'vi laughed, looking at his hands:" No, no. Either my hands are to big or this keyboard is too small! Better you operate it."

Max chuckled and nodded: "Yes, you're probably right." He opened the file and presented the email to his friend.

"Ray Sully! That's impossible!", Jake exclaimed.

"Who is he?" Max asked tentatively.

" He _was_ my uncle," said Jake, " but he died more than ten years, no sixteen years ago". He always forgot to count the time on board of the Venture Star.

Max looked at the date of receipt: " It came in just the day after Grace took you all to site 26..."

Jake sighed:" Ok, open it!"

The message consisted only of a few words and an attached file. The words were kind of random:

_Hello nephiew,_

_hope, you had a good journey. From time to time you might look at my photo, so you won't forget your uncle. Don't worry. The wart has since removed._

"What the fuck...", muttered Jake,"Open the attached file!"

He saw the picture of Ray Sully. Jake was sure that it was exactly the same photo his father showed to him and Tommy just before his parents flew to Chicago for their uncle's funeral. It was all the same: the same gray hair, the same dull face, the same rugged beard.

Exept for one thing:

On Ray Sully's noose was a fat black wart.


	8. Chapter 8

**Disclaimer: I don't own Avatar or Pandora and I don't make any profit by writing this.**

**Author's note:** Sorry sorry sorry for that long delay ! I didn't had very much time the last few months and additionally a giant writer's block. But here's finally chapter 8! Oh, and did I mention that I really enjoy reading reviews?:-)

Chapter 8

"So, what now?", queried Max,"We have a message from an uncle who's dead for sixteen years, together with a picture from said uncle with a wart he seemingly never had."

"Even if Uncle Ray still would be alive, he wouldn't have the money to send such a message. Aside from the fact that he never took any interest in me or my brother.", stated Jake pensively, "But obviously somebody was clever enough to use steganography to send me a message. Focus the wart and enlarge as much as possible."

Dutifully did Max as Jake said and soon was the display filled with black and brown pixels - exept one white pixel close at the left image border.

"There!", said the former avatar, "That's what we were looking for. Go to that pixel and open the file which it contains!"

The file popped open and now the display was filled with the face of Tom Sully.

"Tommy!", whispered Jake. He took a deep breath and said:" Max, start the vid."

And Tom Sully, dead for more than six years now began to speak:

_Hi Jake!_

_Yes, I know, this is quite a surprise, but please listen to me, this is really important. So, when you're watching this vid it means that you're on Pandora and I'm dead. The RDA agents liquidated me and replaced me with you, as I'm sure about that the RDA doesn't want to waste an avatar._

Saying this, Tom grinned crookedly in the same way as his brother always did.

_I knew they were after me and so I made sure that you would get this message after your arrival on Pandora. Friends of mine took care of that. These friends of mine - they're activists, like I am._

_I became an activist when I was aware that I couldn't allow to happen what the RDA is about to do with the Na'vi and Pandora. Jake! This is the first sentient race humankind found and they are going to destroy them! To extinct this wonderful people together with their rich colture. No, not exactly extinct them . RDA is planning to make them into slaves, to destroy their natural environment so that they are forced to work in the mines to get food and clean water from the RDA - and drugs of course. The thought makes me sick of seeing the Na'vi, squatting in shattered huts, working themselves to death, just to get the next shot of liquid dream or any other drug to make their life a bit more bearable._

Jake's twin sighed.

_Brother, despite all your cranky attitude, I know exactly that you are an idealist. We both are. That was the reason why I went to the university and you to the Marines. To save people. I beg you, try your best to help the Na'vi instead of helping to feed the greed of the RDA. I don't know if Earth can be resqued or if it's too late already, but Pandora must be resqued by any means! _

_There is already one of our people in Hell's Gate but he couldn't do very much so far, exept sending us reports. But now, with an avatar driver, we would have really the chance to make a difference! You should tell them, how to fight against the human weapons and, other than me, you would even be able to tell them about human military tactics and strategies._

_And there's another thing: In time you will notice that your avatar is, umh, slightly different than other avatars - more like a Na'vi. Dr. Carell, one of the oldest members of the activist planned this to make it easier to get the trust of the Na'vi. _

_Jake.._.

Tom hesitated shortly

_..You should think about this too: Not just that you have a pair of working legs again - if only for ten or twelve hours a day - there might be even a possibility for you to live a real life. Maybe you'll meet a woman, maybe you'll have one day even children..._

_If I think about this, than I'm happy that things went as they did. There's nothing what would make me happier than to see you, getting back all that what you've lost. _

Jake's brother smiled widely now.

_Right now I'm imaging you when you link up with the avatar for the first time. Probably you're going to produce a chaos in the ambient room because you will be so thrilled and exited.._

He chuckled.

_You should really watch your tail, brother!_

_Please, Jake, think about what I said. This is not only a chance for the Na'vi, but it might be a chance for you too..._

_It's time to say farewell now. Whereever we'll go after death, I will always keep you in my heart. Good luck, Jake!_

The video stopped and when Max did look at Jake, he saw tears streaming down his friends face. Jake cried silently, without sobbing. The scientist wondered if he should leave him alone when Jake said: "Could you please search Neytiri? I want her to see this. I never spoke really about my brother with her."

Max nodded:"Of course, Jake! " and left the grove which had changed so suddenly from a place of joy to a place of grieve.

He found Neytiri at the place in the center of the camp where she watched the children. They had seemingly lots of fun with Anderson's bouning balls . Regarding that the Na'vi children were about same height as him, the old activist had to watch out that he wasn't simply ran over by the hilariously romping kids.

Neytiri laughed when one of the infamous bouncing balls splashed into a big water container , wetting a nearby sitting warrior from head to toes.

Max felt sorry to bother the future Tsahik in her revery when he approached her. "Exuse me, Neytiri, but Jake - I think he needs you now."

She looked at him frightened :"What happened to my Jake? Is it because of that ..thing you brought with you?"

"Yes Neytiri. Jake got a message and he wants you to see it." said Max.

Together they went back to the grove . When Neytiri saw the tears on Jakes face she ran to him, sqatted at his side and took him in her arms.

Silently Max approached them and restarted the video, before he left the couple alone.

When he got back to the camp he saw Norm leaving Mo'at's tent. He seemed relaxed, even serene now and the stress he suffered before had left him.

"Hey Norm! How went your talk?"

"I'm feeling much better now. You don't have to worry about me anymore. But what about that message?" Norm queried.

"Oh hell...The attachement contained a photo with a hidden video from Jake's deceased brother. You can imagine how he feels right now. Neytiri is with him." Then he explained in short words Tom Sully's message.

After Max finished, Norm sighed:" Poor guy. Now that I'm feeling better he has to suffer again. Will that grieving never end ?"

"Of course he's suffering terrible now. But he has to do the mourning work for the loss of his brother anyway. Don't forget, in Jake's time frame only four months or so passed since Tom was murdered. Maybe this video is the last Goodbye which might help Jake to overcome his loss.", said Max.

"Let's hope that. I think, I never realised all these stuff Jake had to went through in the past few months. Unbelievable that he in this short time experienced the loss of his brother, adapted to the Na'vi, won a war, died in his human body and got reborn as Na'vi - not to mention he became Toruk Makto and Olo'eyctan.", Norm commiserated.

After some time, Neytiri came back with the laptop. There were traces of tears on her face and she said: " Jake is resting now and I will return to him immediatly. We should speak about this later."

"Yes, of course. It's time for us to return anyway." answered Max.

"Contact us over the radio when you arrived in Hell's Gate. Have a safe voyage!" With this words she left them and went back to the grove.

The flight home was undisturbed but the passengers were unusual quiet.


	9. Chapter 9

**Disclaimer: I don't own Avatar or Pandora and I don't make any profit by writing this.**

**Author's note: **Ah, thank you so much for all these nice reviews! It's really motivating and inspires me a lot. :-) Oh, what istill wanted to say, especially to the new readers: Much of the plot of "Kinswhips" has it's origin in "Two minutes", especially this chapter. So it would be advisable to read "Two Minutes". Don't worry, the story isn't that long.:-) If you don't want to read the whole story, you may read just chapter 3...

Chapter 9

When Neytiri returned and lowered herself beside him, Jake had regained again a bit of his composure.

He looked regretfully into her eyes and asked: "What kind of man am I?"

"What are you thinking of yourself that you ask this question?", she answered, "You know that if you weren't so brave, if your heart wouldn't be so big, so kind and so pure as it truly is - you never would have passed trough the eye of Eywa to be reborn into a new life. You wouldn't have become Toruk Makto and won the war against the Tawtute. And you wouldn't have won my heart."

With the last words she stroked softly his cheeks, touching the drying traces of his tears, "So, why do you ask this question?"

"If I really were that kind of man, then, as your mate, I should ask you after your losses first. As an Olo'eytctan, I should care about the losses of the Omatikaya first. Instead I'm sitting here, crying like a baby and heaving my grieve on you... What kind of man is so selfish?" he said, accusing himself.

"A man who just has got a message from his deceased brother. Don't blame yourself for grieving as it is necessary for the healing of your heart. And beside, what you said is not true. When Hometree fell, you were there to help us. My mother told me that with your guidance, many people were resqued who else would have died in the fire. And then, when my father died, you were at my side. You tried to comfort me, but I wasn't ready to listen to you. Did I behave like a future Tsahik? No, I allowed myself becoming overwhelmed with grieve. So stop accusing yourself of being selfish. You aren't!" Neytiri said .

Jake countered: " Neytiri, I beg you! Nobody has the right to forbid you to cry. You were watching your father dying, you listened to his last words... "

"And you just listened to the last words of your brother.", Neytiri stated, " But as one of the People, and especially as a Tsahik, I know that I can talk to my father again whenever I want - through the Tree of Souls or through any Tree of Voices. But _you_ won't ever hear your brother's voice again. My mother is sad because my father is gone, but she didn't scream and cry like a child. I'm afraid, I won't become a good Tsahik. Sylwanin should have...", she stopped suddenly, closing her eyes.

"Neytiri," whispered Jake, hugging his mate tenderly,"Please tell me about Sylwanin. Tell me everything about your sister."

"Everything about Sylwanin?", Neytiri smiled ruefully," There's so much to tell...She was everything I wanted to be. While I always have been impatient, her patience was endless, especially when it was about listening to the people's worries. When I was looking at the present, living in the moment, she was concerned about the future. She did make use of her head, while I was thinking with my heart. I couldn't believe it when I saw her in warpaint, running to the schoolhouse with some other youths...I couldn't believe that she became angry enough to do such a thing like setting that machine on fire...That wasn't the Sylwanin I had known all my life. Although it is true that she stopped going to Grace's school because of her anger about the humans killing the trees, I later learned that the attack wasn't originally her plan.", she sighed," It was...Tsu'tey's plan. But he didn't were at Hometree that day as he was visiting another clan together with my father and some hunters. I think, she wanted to impress him. You know, she, as the future Tsahik was to become mated with him - like I was - after Sylwanin died. Tsu'tey was nice and kind with her, but somehow...She told me that she had always the feeling as he would see her only as the future Tsahik. She wanted him to see her as Sylwanin, the woman who was to be his mate some day soon..."

Jake nodded calmly, but he thought _" Oh Eywa, how was it possible that they didn't know? Poor Sylwanin! Why did Tsu'tey kept it to himself? The People don't mind same sex relationships. This tragedy would have been avoidable..."_

He cradled his mate who had started to cry and said: "Her death and the death of the other kids was so senseless - the Tawtute wouldn't have stopped just because of losing one single machine. And Tsu'tey...", he hesitated and thought: _"Should I really tell her that? - Yes, she is my mate, she must know the truth!"_

"What is it about Tsu'tey? " asked Neytiri sobbing,"what are you trying to tell me?"

"Oh Neytiri, I'm sure, Tsu'tey would have tried his best to become a good mate for Sylwanin. But he would never have seen her in the way she wanted him to."

Neytiri looked at Jake, astonished and suddenly understanding:" Oh Eywa...How could we have been so blind?"

"I believe, that maybe your mother might have suspected it. But knowing Tsu'tey, I assume, he didn't want to disappoint your parents and the whole clan. He would have made an exellent Olo'eyctan and they were relying on him."

"But when we returned from the Tree of voices as a mated couple he was not only resentful, he looked really hurt. I was surprised, I never assumed that he thought of me that way...", then her eyes grew big, " It wasn't because of me! _You_ were the reason! He was mad with pain and jealousy, when he tried to kill you."

"And maybe he was angry because I robbed him of his future as Olo'eyctan..", mused Jake, "It would be completely understandable."

"No! You see - what happened to us - it wasn't the first time something like this happened. With choosing you as my mate, I gave away my future as Tsahik. In this case, my mother, though horrible disappointed, would have choosen another young woman the become the next Tsahik. His future as Olo'eyctan was never in question." After a short pause she asked very lowly:" Since when did you know?"

"Not until the moment before I followed his request...", suddenly Jake had a lump in his throat, "..before I followed his request to finish his pain."

"Jake...did you feel the same?", Neytiri whispered shakingly.

"I love you!", and that was the truth, he thought. He would never forget Tsu'tey, but his love and his life belonged completely to that georgious woman at his side.

Neytiri smiled: " I know, my Jake, there is no doubt about this. I experience it every time when we make Tsaheylu.", and then she took his face in her hands, "But Jake, the love of such a noble heart like Tsu'tey's deserves to be honored. Think on him whenever you want, I don't mind... I know that it doesn't affect the love you feel for me."

Jake smiled, fighting back tears: " Thank you so much, my love." and after he kissed her he said:"Please, never think again that you weren't gifted as a Tsahik. You've just proven that you will become the greatest Tsahik ever."


	10. Chapter 10

**Disclaimer: I don't own Avatar or Pandora and I don't make any profit by writing this.**

**Chapter 10**

Time passed and Jake recovered in an amazing pace. One morning, a fews days after Max's, Norm's and Anderson's visit, he waited until Neytiri left for Tsahik training with her mother. Then Jake simply took his bow, went to the improvised rookery and called his Ikran. In his exitement over being reunited again with his rider, Boy gave Jake a headbutt which sent him spread eagled on the ground. When rider and mount finally flew again over the forests of Pandora, both were hooting with sheer joy. Jake had missed this so much: soaring freely and reckless in the sky.

Just an hour later he brought a fat Yerik to the place where the game was skinned and butchered, accepting happily the congratulations of the People to his recovery.

About three weeks later, the evening sun of Pandora found Jake and Neytiri in the midst of a discussion.

Jake didn't like the thought of it. He didn't like it at all. "Neytiri, are you sure that you are ready for this? Not even six weeks has passed since Seze was killed."

Neytiri shook her head: "My Jake, we need the new Ikran now. It is true that under different circumstances I would have waited longer for Iknimaya, but not now. There are to many hunters without Ikran and we need them for hunting, for feeding the People. And I need one as I have to fly with you when we are looking for a new Hometree."

"Yes," sighed her mate, " But there are more than twenty hunters who will go to Iknimaya. I divided them into five groups. You could wait at least until the last group will start, Then I will be fit enough to accompany you."

"No, I will go with the first group! Look, I am the future Tsahik, I am one of the best warriors. It wouldn't be proper for me to go with one of the following groups." stated Neyitiri stubbornly.

Now Jake was losing his patience: "Neytiri, you are carrying our child!..."Before he could continue arguing with his mate who was steadilily becoming more angry, he saw Mo'at approaching them and he faced her, silently begging for help.

"My daughter will take care of herself." the Tsahik said firmly and then, looking sternly at Neytiri,"You will, right? Don't take any risks. If the Ikran is going to become too fierce, then you will retreat."

"And you, son", she continued, "Even if she would wait until the last group starts in ten days, you won't be able to accompany her. Climbing up Iknimaya is the one of the hardest things a Na'vi does in his whole life, You are recovering much faster than we all could hope for, but still, in ten days you won't be strong enough to climb Iknimaya. So, just have trust in your mate."

When Jake nodded, giving up the argument, Mo'at sighed :" I can understand your anxiety though. It won't be easy for the hunters so shortly after they lost their Ikran. But my daughter is right: We need the Ikran Makto."

"I know. The hunters on Pa'li or the gatherers on foot can do only so much and it isn't sufficient to get enough food for everyone at long sight. And we lost most of the Pa'li as well..." Jake was well aware that if he didn't push things forward, the Omatikaya would be threatened by the danger of starvation. And the other clans couldn't really help them as they had big losses of hunters, Ikran and Pa'li as well. But damn, he as Olo'eyctan should lead the hunters to Iknimaya. He felt so fucking useless as if he were sitting in a wheelchair again.

Neytiri smiled encouragingly and touched tenderly his shoulder:"All will go well, my Jake, don't care. I'll leave you for now. I still have to make my Ikran catcher."

After Neyiri left, Mo'at looked at Jake and said." You did divide the hunters very well. In every group are enough elder, experienced hunters to support the younger ones. And..", the Tsahik smiled,"I made sure that the hunters in Neytiri's group will intervene immediatly when there's the slightest sign that the Ikran might win the fight."

Mo'at touched her forehead and said, still smiling:"I See you, my son!" and went to her tent.

Jake stood there, alone and lost in thoughts, remembering his own Iknimaya. Neytiri...Suddenly blossomed an idea in his mind and he chuckled to himself. No, he wasn't still able to climb, but...

He turned and made a beeline to the Ikran rookery.

The next morning, when Jake went with her to the meeting point of the hunters, Neytiri was in good spirits . Taking care for her mate, doing chores for the clan and, additionally, listening to the lessons of her mother was good and necessary, but now she could finally go _active _again. Although she felt in her heart still the painfull loss of Seze, she was at the same time looking forward to the upcoming challenges . Today was the day when the Omatikaya really started into a new future. But, much to her surprise, Jake seemed to be in relatively good mood as well, in spite of the discussion they had yesterday.

He smiled and kissed her on the cheek: "Ok, I know you will take care when it comes to challenge your Ikran. Just think about that today isn't the kind of Iknimaya when young hunters have to prove their worth. It's just about getting an Ikran. You don't have to prove yourself."

Neytiri nodded and sighed resignedly:" Yes, my Jake. I won't endanger our child..."

Jake hugged her:"I know, my love. And I'm completely aware of that you have far more expierence with Iknimaya than me." Neytiri looked pointedly at her mate and grinned:"Ah, how nice to see that you remember that!"

The former avatar snickered and leaned his forehead on hers - a favorite gesture of both of them -and said:"Yeah, I'm sorry for being such a worry wart.." His mate laughed:" Jake, what is this - a worry wart? Your language has some very strange words."

"Ah, a worry wart is someone who worries about everything.", he grinned.

"And humans get warts from that?", she shuckled, "I'm happy that you're one of the people then.."

Now Jake laughed openly:" Oh, Neytiri, It's just a common expression..."

Meanwhile the couple arrived at the meeting point, where the other hunters were already waiting with their pa'li, together with the two people you rode with them to bring the pa'li back after the party would have reached the point from where they had to climb. Mo'at was there too. She had already painted everyone of the group with the symbol for Iknimaya and now painted her daughter silently as well.

Neytiri climbed her pa'li and Jake stepped back and faced the all of them, speaking in Na'vi:" May the Great Mother smile upon you today and grant all of you a safe return - everybody on his own ikran. Have a save voyage!"

Neytiri answered for the group:"Our thanks to you, Olo'eyctan. We promise, that we will try our best."

Then the Iknimaya party left. Jake stood there for a while and watched the group departing . It wasn't very far from here to the place where they had start to climb - maybe an hour or so, The climbing itself then would take about three hours. Enough time for his own preparations.

At first he turned to the Tsahik: "Mother, would you mind if our friends from Hell's Gate visited us today?"

"No, I wouldn't mind. But today? Why?" queried Mo'at suspiciously.

"I have the highest respect for your wisdom as Tsahik and your great abilities as a healer. But, please, forgive me, but if something happens to Neytiri...I'm afraid for her.", Jake sighed shakingly,"I just want to be sure that she and our baby will get every help possible, if something happens to them..."

Mo'at looked at him seriously : "No, I don't mind. In fact, if she would start loosing the child, I could help her, but there wouldn't be much I could do for the baby. But on the other hand, I've seen what the skypeople's doctors did for our wounded. Call your friends then!"

Jake took a deep breath, feeling relieved. The medical knowledge of the Na'vi was amazing but it had it's limits. He was feeling bad about asking her though, afraid that she would think of it as a lack of respect, but now, that the Tsahik accepted the help of the skypeople so easily, his conscience was assuaged.

He went to the radio and contacted Hell's Gate.


	11. Chapter 11

**Disclaimer: I don't own Avatar or Pandora and I don't make any profit by writing this.**

**Chapter 11**

After his short talk with Max, Jake felt relived. At first, Max had been quite upset about Neytiri taking such risks being with child. He fetched one of the medics of the avatar program, Dr. Brenda Smith and she asked Jake some questions about the state of Neytiri's pregnancy. Dr. Smith was, in addition to about a dozen other medical qualifications, a certified gynecologist. And, as she had reassured Jake, there weren't too much differences between a human and a Na'vi pregnancy. Just at this moment Norm , Max and Dr. Smith, were preparing the Samson for the flight.

Jake arrived at the improvised ikran rookery and , after a sharp whistle, there was Boy, eager to fly wherever Jake wanted him to. With no effort the new Na'vi hopped on his back and they took air.

Soon they were flying high over the path the hunters on their Pa'li would take and then Jake finally got sight of them.

Looking small like ants from this height, they were heading slowly but steadily to the point where they would have to dismount the Pa'li and start climbing.

Jake instructed Boy to stay at this height and let him fly wide circles, but never so wide that they would lose sight of the hunters.

Then finally the riders did reach the high cliff which Jake remembered and the hunters dismounted the Pa'li. Seemingly there was a discussion among them and Jake grinned.

He knew all to well what the discusssion was about, but finally the leader of the group asserted himself and the hunters sat down for a short rest, while the two other Na'vi did lead the Pa'li back to the Tree of Souls. After ten minutes or so the hunting party did run over the big bridge, made of mighty twines, interspersed with rocks, which connected the cliff with the first flying mountain.

The climbing of Iknimaya seemed to went without any problems, exept some discussions which were followed by short rests of the group.

Then, finally the hunters arrived at Mons Veritatis and disappeared into a cave.

Jake led Boy on the other side of the biggest of the Halleluja mountains and waited there, still circling above them.

When he saw the group of hunters reappearing again in the cave he remembered from his own Iknimaya, he instructed Boy to land at the edge of the cave.

Neytiri was definetely not amused when she discovered the surprise.

"Jake, what you are doing here?", she hissed angrily, "This isn't my first Inknimaya and I can for sure..."

"Neytiri, my love, please...I'm just doing the same for you as you did for me. You remember my Iknimaya? I would be dead now without your help.", he pleaded patiently.

"So, well...may it be. But I dare you to interrupt my challenge!" she snarled at him, barely able to suppress her anger. Jake nodded: " I will stay behind you." and hopped easily from Boy's back.

Of course Neytiri was insistent that she went first to challenge an Ikran.

The first two Ikrans she challenged avoided the confrontation by flying away, but the third one, a big female with yellow and purple stripes, accepted, hissing furiously, the challenge. And seemingly she didn't accept any rules.

While Neytiri was making her Ikran catcher ready, she snapped at her and, much to Jake's horror, Neytiri saved her life by letting herself fall on the rocky ground, her belly hitting a big stone. She gasped, but before Jake could do anything, his mate was again on her feet.

The Ikran snapped at her for a second time, but then Neytiri managed to secure the Ikran's snout safely with her Ikran catcher and within a second, she was on her back an made Tsahaylu.

Of course Neytiri wasn't only well prepared about what to come, she was experienced and so the first flight went rather undisturbed by the Ikran's waywardness.

Not even two hours later, they - Jake on Boy and Neytiri and the other hunters on their new Ikran - reached the camp at the Tree of Souls.

While the other hunters were in good spirits when thy dismounted their Ikran, Neytiri looked kind of tense.

"Neytiri! Neytiri, are you ok?" queried Jake, when she finally managed to land and slowly glided from her Ikran's back.

She looked tense and suddenly Jake saw the reason. Between her thighs was blood. He whispered: "No! Oh no, please, Eywa.."

In the next moment, he carried her in his arms, running like the wind to the place where the Samson would have landed, screaming hysterically after Mo'at and Max, until a pair of strong arms stopped his maniac run.

"Ok, Jake, we've got her...ok, slow down...". It was the voice of Louise Lafleur, one of the avatar drivers. Jake steadied himself, sobbing." She's dying, she's losing our child...Resque her, please, resque her at least..!"

The next thing he felt were Mo'at's hands on his shoulders. " Jakesully, my son! Give your mate into the care of them...Please, Brendasmith told me that she knows what to do in such a case...Please, now, give her to the dreamwalker.."

And with that reassuring voice in his ears, Jake let go of his mate and everything went dark around him.

He lost every feeling for time. Everything around him was dark and frightening, but then after a time, he saw again some light...and he heard an encouraging voice: "Jake, my son, wake up! Don't care, Neytiri and your child are safe!"

He opened his eyes and at first he saw Mo'ats smiling face hovering over him. Then there were Max's and Norm's faces, slightly blurred because they were wearing exopacks, but smiling nonetheless.

Max spoke up: " Jake! Neytiri and the child are safe! Brenda could stop the abort."

Jake murmured weakly: " They are safe? They are both safe?" and sat up himself slowly.

"Yes!", stated Max, " But of course, both of them are in need of medical care now. But don't worry, Brenda did arrange everything for mother and child even before we left Hell's Gate."

"Are they really safe?", asked Jake, regaining full consciousness again now.

"Yes, Jake," said Norm's voice over his shoulder, " They're both safe. They just need a close medical monitoring over the next three or four days."

Within the next moments Jake regained again full awareness and looked at Max: " Ok, so can I speak with Neytiri right now?"

"No. She's fast asleep. Brenda gave her not only tocolytics against the threatening abort, but some calmatives too. But it's necessary that we bring Neytiri to Hell's Gate. She needs to be watched closely over the next days.", said Norm

"I want to be with her!", stated Jake, now fully aware and raising himself to his feet again

"Of course you may come with us.", said Max, "You won't need to care about Neytiri and the baby, but there are some interesting news we got only yesterday we would like to share with you."

Whe they approached the Samson, Brenda was running towards Jake: " Jake, Jake! Do you want to hear the heartbeat of your child?"

Jake gasped:" Yes, yes, of course! I really everything ok with them?"

"Yes," said the medic," Everything is ok now, though it was very close... But mother and child are well. And, as Neytiri is in the seventh week now, you may hear the heartbeat of your baby!"

"It's my son," murmured Jake when he entered the cargo area where lied his sleeping mate. And the he heard the heartbeat. Jake had a lump in his throat when he whispered; " Hello. little Tsu'tey! I'm so sorry you won't ever meet your uncle."

The flight to Hell's Gate was calm and undisturbed. During the whole time, Jake was watching sleeping Neytiri, watching the infusion slowly dripping it's healing effect into Neytiri's bloodstream.

One time, when he was looking ot of the Samson's cargo area, he saw Toruk soaring freely over Pandora's surface. Then he finally knew that everything would turn out well.


	12. Chapter 12

**Disclaimer: I don't own Avatar or Pandora and I don't make any profit by writing this.**

**Chapter 12**

They arrived at Hell's Gate in the dusk, when the first plants began to light up the forest with their biolumincence. Two avatars, Charles and Ramon, were waiting on the tarmac with a carriage for Neytiri's guerney.

As soon as the Samson had landed, they approached it, Ramon entered the cargo area while Charles waited outside at the door and together they lifted the guerney out of the Samson and set it carefully on the carriage.

Jake was at Neytiri's side , holding the infusion bag and watched his still sleeping mate intendly.

Brenda checked on her patient and looked reassuringly at Jake: " Don't worry. She'll probably sleep until tomorrow. Let's go to the SCIMOD. They prepared MEDBAY 2 for her - it hasn't the "bull's-eyes" like MEDBAY 1 which are needed for decanting the avatars and is more comfortable and quiet. She headed toward to the high building in front of them," Common, we're taking the short cut through the armor bay and the avatar compound."

"Won't we need, ummm, a kind of inverted exopack or so? ", asked Jake, pointing at Neytiri, himself and the avatars.

"No, no. We shut down the life support system in the whole building and in every other auxilliary building. No need to waste energy to keep earth athmosphere where it isn't needed anymore." said Max, adjusting his exopack.

While they passed some of the few still existing amp suits, Jake cast an uncomfortable look at an caged area, filled with barbells and training equipement, still waiting for their owner. Quaritch's sanctuary.

Thanks Eywa, the son of a bitch was dead now.

After a few moments they left the building again and went thought the avatar compound and finally reached SCIMOD, where the avatar facilities were. They wheeled Neytiri in the designated room.

Before Brenda asked them to leave she said to Jake: "I' think, it's best you sleep here too, so she won't be alone, should she awake during the night. You'll have noticed already that it's in here slightly colder than outside, so you might fetch some blankets and, if you want, cushions from the longhouse.", then she adressed Louise: " Louise, you may assist me with the exams and please, could you find an hospital gown for her?"

When Jake went to the longhouse, together with Norm, Charles and Ramon, who wanted to lay down for unlinking, Norm said: " So, thanks God, everything went well." When Jake silently nodded, his friend queried: " But why the hell did she do that? Such a risk..."

"She's not only the future Tsahik, she's the best huntress of the clan, a role model for the hunters. But more important is that we need every single Ikran Makto now. So many of our surviving hunters lost their Ikran in the battle. And it's the sad truth that the hunters on foot or on Pa'li can't provide enough game, especially not in the region of the Tree of Souls where aren't so many of the bigger animals.."

"So you've got serious trouble with providing enough food for the clan?", asked Norm frowning.

Jake sighed: " Yes. I hope that the four other hunters, who went on Iknimaya with Neytiri, will be already hunting tomorrow. Two days ago I flew together with another hunter over a small valley, 40 miles west of the Tree of Souls. We saw many yerik there...I hope he'll lead the hunters tomorrow to that area. After what happened today, there wasn't time for any instructions"

Norm nodded: "Don't worry! I'm sure, Mo'at will do a very decent job as deputy." Jake snorted, slightly amused: " I think, she's a bit more than a deputy. I'm still learning all the duties of the Olo'eyctan. That's a damn hard job, Tsu'tey forced me into.."

"I can understand that you paid respect to his last will, but maybe, you know...", Norm shrugged.

"You don't understand, " countered Jake, " He said : _It is decided_. And he _was_ Olo'eyctan. This is like an order, even more like an order...It means, you simply have to accept and do as they want. A phrase, an Olo'eyctan or an Tsahik should use only once in a blue moon..."

When they returned to the MEDBAY, arms full with cushions and blankets, Neytiri was awake.

With a short greeting, Norm laid the blankets on a chair and left the room silently.

Jake put deposed his load of bedding on the second guerney and knelt down at Neytiri's side: "Hello, my love! How are you? Do you have any pain?"

"No, my Jake. Just feeling tired..", she sighed and looked at the ceiling," My Jake..."

"What is it?", he asked. When he stroked softly her cheek, her eyes were filling with tears," ...".

Unable to speak, she looked at him. "Sshssh, my love. I know, I know...You wouldn't have done this, if our situation wouldn't have required it.", he tried to comfort her.

"Hey, do you hear this?", he pointed at the monitoring unit standing at the wall, which emmitted a constant _boom boom boom._"This is our son."

She nodded smiling.: " After what I did to both of you this day...How would you say ? I owe you a favour."

Jake snickered:" You bet. At first I was screaming like a madman, then I fainted like a girl. I wonder what the clan thinks of me now."

"They think that you are to become a devoted father, like it is only natural for one of the people. You should know by now that the People don't hide their feelings, like the Skypeople do."

"You said something about a favour.." Jake grinned, "What about if, say...you let pick me the name for our little one?"

"What would you call him?",Neytiri asked curiously.

When she heard him say: "Tsu'tey.", the corners of her mouth began to twitch and finally she giggled. "That isn't really a favour. I would have choose this name anyway."

He laid two of the cushions under Neytiri's head and covered her with a blanket. Then he wheeled the second guerney as close as possible to his mate's one.

Jake laid down, wrapped himself in his blanked and took Neytiri's hand in his own : " What a day! Would you mind if I say: we shouldn't repeat this?"

She smiled: " No. I promise that I will behave from now on."

Still smiling, both of them fell asleep.

At the next morning, after being roused by Brenda's morning ward round, Louise came in, carrying a tray with two steaming bowls: "Voilà, vegetable stew à la Hell's Gate."

When Jake and Neytiri made friendly comments about the soup, Loise said:" Well, since Charles and me are of French origin, we decided to take over the avatar kitchen. You can't imagine what horrible stuff the others concocted..So we decided it was time for two people with gourmet genes to take the lead. For lunch we'll have roasted tapirus.."

When Neytiri gasped and her skin took a greenish colour and Jake coughed in a desparate attempt to hide his laughing, Louise said. " Oh, oh, sorry. Did we hurt a taboo? Please forgive me, that was reallly not our intention.."

"They eat tapirus ? They really eat them?" asked Neytiri Jake, visibly shocked, while Jake's efforts to hide his laughing weren't any longer successful. He snorted with laughter: " No, it isn't actually a taboo. Although the tapirus live with us. But we wouldn't eat them - at least not as long as we aren't starving."

Louise said contritely: "Oh, I'm so sorry...So it would be like..eating a dog or a cat for a human?"

Jake countered: "Not exactly. Although the tapirus live with us because they are damn good watchdogs too. But that's not the main reason. Most important is that they eat everything, exept maybe broken pottery. In an Na'vi village you don't need any garbage men."

"Oh!", said the avatar.

When the new Na'vi continued: " And we don't need any latrine cleaners as well!" and bursted with laughter, Louise was flabbergasted: "You mean, they eat...they eat...Oh no...!"

She hurried to leave the MEDBAY, looking definetely greenish in her face too.

After the couple finished the morning meal despite of the..somewhat disgusting talk with Louise, Max and Norm came for a visit. "Maybe you won't remember, but I told you yesterday that we've got interesting news,", the head of the biolab began, "All our efforts to contact earth wer pointless so far, But Amy managed to decode some of the mails Selfridge got from the RDA headquarters. There is..."

He was rudely interrupted by an avatar, knocking at the door and bursting in without waiting for an answer.

It was Ramon: "We've got visitors!" A group of six Na'vi. Tipani, I think. They are just arriving on the avatar compound."

"Friend or foe?" asked Max, facing Jake.

"Friends of course!" stated The Olo'eyctan. "They fought together with us at the battle at the Tree of Souls. Probably they're just curious."

When Max, Norm and Jake went outside, it turned out that Jake's asset was right. This wasn't a war party. The group was seemingly a trader party. Four of the riders led Pa'li, loaded with goods.

Only two of them were warriors or hunters.

One of them, a male, dismounted his Pa'li and headed toward them, facing Jake.

He was a man in his thirties as Jake estimated, sturdier than most of the Na'vi men. But the most awkward thing was, that the end of his tail, which was contained in a kind of leather cuff was tucked at his warrior belt. He went towards Jake in a strange manner of walking, slightly swaying like he was wading through a creek or standing on unsteady ground.

He made the traditional gesture of greeting, which Jake responded in the same way, and said: "I greet you, Jakesully, Toruk Makto, Olo'eyctan of the Omatikaya. My name is Tsanten te Atanvi Sílron'zem'itan. I'm the leader of this party."


	13. Chapter 13

**Disclaimer: I don't own Avatar or Pandora and I don't make any profit by writing this.**

**Chapter 13**

Jake reciprocated the formal greeting, then he invited Tsanten to sit down with him.

"So, you are on a trading mission," he said in surprisingly fluent Na'vi.

"Not exactly," answered Tsanten, taking slowly a seat,"All this pots and vessels are gifts from the Tipani to the Omatikaya. And the pots aren't empty. We've heard about your desparate situation. You see the four big vessels which the Pa'li over there are carrying? This ones are filled with flour. And the smaller pots on the other Pa'li contain smoked stormbeest meat."

While Jake thanked the Tipani for their generous gifts, Norm and Max looked at the Na'vi and couldn't believe what just happened. "What kind of crazy coincidence is that?" whispered Norm.

"We can't just stand here and and look like stunned mullets...", murmured Max."We have to tell Jake who that guy is."

"We have to tell them both..Damn, I wished Mo'at wouldn't have delayed that matter until the Omatikaya would have settled in a new hometree.", said Norm, looking not very comfortable.

Max grinned slightly: "You are the anthropologist, so you are much better qualified than me to handle such a situation."

"Thank you so very much!" replied Norm, looking sourly.

Meanwhile the two Na'vi had changed the topic and Jake explained the reason why he and Neytiri were staying momentarily in Hell's Gate. Tsanten said compassionately: " Oh I hope she is better now and the little one isn't any more endangered."

When Jake nodded, Tsanten continued : "We didn't know that the situation of the Omatikay was so desperate, else we would have come sooner. But it is good to hear that your mate and child are safe now. It was wise to call the healers from the skypeople. I know that they can help, even then when our healers have to give up. If it weren't for them, neither my mother nor myself would be alive."

Then Tsanten told Jake the story how his mother was resqued by a skypeople healer, when she wasn't able to bear down because the baby - Tsanten - was in a wrong position and didn't move, despite all efforts of Ney'ite, the healer of the Tipani. When she brought Amyriat with the help of his father and an uncle to the place of the skypeople, Linda, the healer explained her that they would open up Amyriat's belly, of course not before drugging her.

Ney'ite was shocked when she listened to her friend, but as there wasn't any other chance to help mother and child anymore, she decided to trust Linda. But when they had arrived at the skypeople's camp, Sílron'zem found out what they were about to do to his mate, and he started to scream and to fight. The leader of the skypeople, a middle-aged man. stunned him with something looking like an thick arrow for a blowpipe, while the uncle, who was despite of his advanced age still a very strong man, had restrained Sílron'zem.

Then they brought Amyryat in one of the metal boxes.

And, as it turned out, Ney'at was right to have confidence in her skypeople friend.

Only two hours later Amyriat was awake again and hold happily a son in her arms. Only a thin , barely visible scar on his mother's belly reminded them all of the near tragedy.

"And what happened at that time ", finished Tsanten his story, "is partly the reason, why I'm the leader of this travel party, despite of my crippled tail."

"So the Tipani planned that your group should visit Hell's Gate, while travelling to the Tree of Souls?" queried Jake .

Tsanten nodded: " There was...some debating among the clan's elders about your decision to allow some of the skypeople to stay and so they wanted at least to see what the remaining skypeople are doing here. The Tsahik decided that I should lead the travel party as I am, due to my own history , maybe a bit more openminded towards them, in spite of all the bad things they did in the past."

"They won't mind if you interrogate them about their activities. But I can ensure you, that all of them are trustworthy. I've chose very carefully the ones who were allowed to stay. Do you speak the skypeople's language?" asked Jake.

"No, I can't," said the Na'vi, "but my mate, who was born and raised among the Omatikaya, visited the school of the female dreamwalker." He turned to the rest of the group who were still waiting with the Pa'li and called: "Aketuan !"

A tall, exeptionally good looking Na'vi male in his mid-twenties approached them. After the greetings were exchanged and Aketuan assured how honored he felt to meet Toruk Makto in person, Jake asked: "Forgive me my curiosity, but how did it occur to an Omatikaya to leave his clan?"

Aketuan smiled: "It's a simple story. When I was grown up and ready to choose a mate, there were only two other men among the Omatikaya who preferred a male partner - and these two chose one another. So, if I didn't want to stay unmated, I had to look for a mate in other clans. I decided to travel with the trader party of the weavers. And when we visited the Tipani, I met Tsanten."

Max and Norm watched the exchange, still feeling unsure about this unexpected encounter.

Just when Norm said :" We should wait until Jake invites us to take part in the meeting.", the former avatar beckoned them over and introduced them to the Na'vi.

After they has exchanged the formal greetings, Tsanten immediatly began to ask his questions, which Aketuean dutifully translated. The older Na'vi seemed to feel relieved when Max explained, that alltogether only sixteen humans stayed in Hell's Gate.

Then the head of the biolab enumerated their names and activities and offered him to arrange interviews with each of them.

Tsanten nodded contendedly and said: " It won't be necessary to speak with everyone, but some of them I'd like to ask questions as we wish to bring the food as soon as possible to the Omatikaya. If you agree, we will stay overnight and continue our voyage tomorrow."

When Max offered to make room for the Na'vi in the longhouse, Tsanten thanked him ans said: "This is a very friendly gesture, but we have our travel tents with us." with this words he bowed slightly to Jake :" Olo'eyctan, I will now go to my companions and tell them what we were talking about. I think, we will pitch the tents over there, near the garden."

Jake nodded: "And of course you're free to gather fruits as much as you want.", and standing up, he signaled the visitors that the meeting was finished for now.

After Tsanten and Aketuan went to their companions, the former avatar glanced at Max and Norm questioningly: " Uh, you both are looking kind of uncomfortable. What's the matter?"

Norm sighed:" That's a long and complex story." He glanced at Max:" Maybe should Jake simply show what we found out ?"

When Max nodded, Norm continued, facing again Jake: "There's a connection between you and Tsanten. I'll go and fetch a holopad and then you will see what I'm talking about.", the anthropologist shook his head, "I still can't believe this incredible coincidence!"


	14. Chapter 14

**Disclaimer: I don't own Avatar or Pandora and I don't make any profit by writing this.**

**Chapter 14**

Twenty minutes later Jake rubbed tiredly his face and said: " Damn, I'm feeling like I've stole his skin...", he sighed, "I'm living truly in my brother's body now."

Norm countered: No Jake! You didn't steal anything. Please stop torturing yourself. If anybody had to be accused than it would be Gliese!"

"And Gliese died years ago of leukemia.", Max amended.

The former Avatar shrugged and answered: "Yeah, yeah..Maybe you're right. But it doesn't make me feeling really better right now." After a pause he said: "We have to tell Tsanten about what happened. He's got the damn right to be in the know. But I think I should speak with Neytiri first. She can give some advice how to explain Tsanten all this mess without causing a diplomatic catastrophy."

Max nodded: " Would you mind if I come with you ? But of course, if you prefer to speak with her alone first..."

"No!", said Jake "You and Norm should take part in the talk too. You're much better than me in explaining all that science stuff which was the reason for Gliese to pinch the umbilical blood."

Norm cursed: " Damn, I promised Amy to help her with the plant samples. Wait, I'll call her and.."

Max put a hand on Norm's shoulder and said calmly: " You may go to Amy and help her, if you want. I don't think that the situation really requires your presence. But, of course, if you want to come with us.."

"No, no. It's okay. I should really see that I keep my promises."Norm smiled, obviously not offended: "Should there be any problems, just call me over the communicator." With this words he turned and headed to the GENMOD.

When Jake and Max entered MEDBAY 1, Neytiri was settled comfortably on the guerney and, much to Jake's surprise, she was reading a book. He could read the title on it's cover: _Once there was Eden_.

Jake approached her smiling: " Oh, you are reading a book. What's it about?"

Neytiri reciproced the smile: "I complained to Louise that I felt bored. We chatted for a while and when I told her that I've learned to read how the humans draw their language, she brought me this book. It is about wildlife on Earth before the humans killed their mother." She showed him the page she was just reading and, aside from the text, there was a picture of a lion while he was catching a gazelle.

Jake grinned: " I never imagined you as an avid reader, my love. I should've known better though. Grace was an awesome teacher."

Neytiri smiled graciously: " Will you tell me about the visitors now, my Jake?"

After Jake had told her about the Tipani und his talk with Tsanten and his mate, she smiled: "Oh, I remember Aketuan. He was always merry and helpful. If someone's heart was heavy, he could relieve it with his friendly words. We were sad when we had to accept that he had to leave our clan. Then we heard that he found a mate, one of the finest hunters among the Tipani. But the last news we heard about him were sad ones. His mate suffered an accident during a stormbeest hunt. Since then, Tsanten, Aketuan's mate, wasn't able to move his tail. And as you know, you need your tail to keep your balance.", she grabbed Jake's arm, "He even had to sent away his Ikran because he wasn't any longer able to fly with him.", Neytiri sighed, "It was bitter, when I lost Seze in the battle. But to sent away an Ikran..?", she shook her head, "I don't want to imagine the pain in the heart Tsanten was going through..But maybe you know more about this pain. You set Toruk free after the battle."

Jake nodded sympathetically." You can't compare Toruk to an Ikran. We fought together, but we weren't so close..not like me and Boy. If I had to send away Boy.. I don't want to imagine that.", Jake shook his head, "But about Tsanten..Yes, I noticed that the end of his tail was tucked at his warrior's belt, so I assume his tail is completely paralized. I'd never guessed that an injury like this could even be possible for a Na'vi."

"I've never heard of such an injury ever before. You think it is like...what happened to you in your former life?"

Jake didn't like to think about this at all and after an uncomfortable moment of silence, Max cleared his throat discretely.

"Right," Jake sighed, "there is something else, we wanted to talk about with you. Look, it turned out that...Damn, Max, I think, you should explain the whole mess that Gliese guy made."

Max nodded patiently and told Neytiri everything they found out about Tsantens birth and who Gliese took an bloodsample from the umbilica. Much to their surprise, Neytiri remained quiet, just facing her mate and his friends pensively.

"Your mother was quite upset when I spoke with her about these events.", Max stated carfully.

Neytiri shrugged, a short, hardy visible smile on her lips. "The umbilica was given back, wasn't it? But from this blood ", she fell silent for a moment, "From this blood my mate was born, the sixth Toruk Makto who defeated the skypeople. I think, that Tsanten and his parents will be very proud when they are told about this."

Max mused for a moment about the differents opinions of Mo'at and Neytiri on this matter, but didn't dare to ask about. The situation was complex enough, even without his own questions. Instead he said: " and, who knows, maybe Gliese didn't mean any harm while he took the bloodsample. After all, on earth this is a quite common practise when a child is born - at least if the parents can afford this treatment."

"But why do the skypeople a thing like this?", Neytiri queried.

"Well, Neytiri,", Max began," The umbilical blood comes into a freezer, a, let's say a place where it can be conserved for many,many years. And the most important thing is, that this blood contains stemcells. Stemcells are, how can I say it? The very origin of a being, they are like seed, like seed of a plant. And with our knowledge, we are even able to tell the seed, which part of the plant it shall grow. So, when the

child should get sick,or, maybe a better example, if the child has an accident and, let's say it's leg gets smashed, we can grow a new leg and ..and put it on it's body. It adheres after some time and ..."

"The child has again two legs. That is amazing!", Neytiri gasped.

"Yes," stated Jake," If my parents could have afforded this treatment by the time, my brother and me were born, I wouldn't have ended up in a wheelchair."

"Oh...wait...!", gasped Max and grabbed his communicator. "Norm?...Norm! Listen, if Gliese adhered to the common procedure when he took the bloodsample, then he must have token two samples, one for earth and another as a reference sample for the gene bank here in Hell's Gate! ...I'll tell you later why I want to know...Just look for the sample. Here's the identifier again... a420122125...Ok, I'll wait"

Jake at Neytiri looked at Max questioningly, but he waved to silence them.

"Yes, norm..It is there? Really? ...Damn, that's great! Thank you! I'll explain later everything to you...Ok, until later then!"

After Max finished his talk with Norm, he entered a different code: " Brenda? Would you please immediatly come to MEDBAY1?...No, Neytiri is feeling well. but this thing I want to talk with you is really important too..Ok, see you soon."

"May I ask you what was this all about?" asked Jake.

"You will see! I just have to speak with Brenda first."

Even before the Na'vi couple was able to ask any further question, The door was jerked open and a quite upset med tech was standing in front of them: "So what the hell has happened?"

Max calmed himself and tried to explain Brenda everything, beginning with the story of Jake origin and ending up with his idea how to help Tsanten.

"So, this is the answer to all questions we were musing about concerning Jake...Why didn't you tell us?" she asked, still being a bit angry. But about your idea to help Tsanten...I don't know. You see, we're not exactly the Mayo clinic here and the idea of simply to inject stemcells into the spine of a paraphlegic was proved to be wrong mor than hundert years ago."

"But I know you have a stash of nanites, reserved for the treatment of the heads of the RDA management! And this isn't the actual spine, it's just about the caudal vertebrae.", Max said.

"Yes, that's correct," Brenda said, "But we are talking right now about the treatment of a spinal injury nonetheless."

Brenda closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

After some moments she said:" I'll have to examine the injury thoroughly. If it should be a very simple fracture and the vertebral canal itself isn't damaged, I might perhaps be able to help him."


	15. Chapter 15

**Disclaimer: I don't own Avatar or Pandora and I don't make any profit by writing this.**

**Chapter 15**

"And now comes the difficult part," said Max, "We have to explain Tsanten all this crazy stuff."

Neytiri tossed off the bedsheet and sat up: "I'll talk to him. Please take these cords off", she pointed at the cables of the medical diagnosis unit, " and then we go to the camp of the Tipani and talk with him."

"Oh no!", said Brenda vigorously and went to the guerney, "You will go nowhere for at least the next two days! Jake, you should go and fetch Tsanten!"

"He and his mate" the former avatar agreed, " Aketuan's English is quite fluent. Tsanten may trust us more, if his mate translates for him."

While he was on his way to the gardens, he saw one of the avatars leaving the avatar kitchen, which was situated together with two other facilities at the border of the avatar compound, just beyond the obstacle course. The avatar carried a small bundle under his arm and was heading toward the other side of the compound, in direction of the hangars.

"Hi Davis!" called Jake when the zoologist crossed his way.

"Hello, Corporal Sully!", answered Davis, "I am glad that your wife is feeling better now."

"Thank you. Please, just call me Jake. What's this?" Jake pointed at the bundle which was wrapped in canvas.

"Oh," said the avatar, "Sir, it's the Tapirus. You see, after you explained why the Na'vi don't eat them...Well nobody of us wanted to eat it as well. I was about to bringing it back into the forest. Maybe the viperwolves..."

"Ooh, just a moment! Who killed the Tapirus then, was it you or was it done by the viperwolves?" queried Jake with an edge in his voice.

"No, Sir. It was me. I shot it yesterday."

"Do you think this poor guy will come to life again when you carry it in the forest?", asked Jake in an even sharper tone.

"Of course not,Sir." said Davis rather contritely.

"And do you think then that the forest is a kind of supermarket, where you can return an article when you change your mind?"

When Davis looked at the Na'vi questioningly, Jake continued, "You took a life, because you planned to eat the Tapirus. There is nothing wrong about it. And now you changed your mind about this. But the Tapirus is dead and will stay dead. You can't simply take a life and then throw it away, only because you changed your mind. Now listen: You will eat the Tapirus and you will be thankful because it gave it's life. I don't care if you like the meat or not, but you will eat it! Do you understand?"

"Yes Sir!" said the avatar lowly, "I'm sorry, Sir. I'm afraid, there are still many things, we have to learn."

With this words Davis went back to the kitchen.

The avatars wouldn't have an enjoyable meal today.

Jake sighed. Indeed, they would have much to learn.

When Jake turned to continue his way to the Tipani camp, he saw that the two Na'vi he was looking for were standing just a few yards in front of him.

Regarding Tsanten's expression, his mate must have translated the whole talk for him.

"This was a good lesson, Toruk Makto! My clan will be pleased to hear about that you teach the skypeople the right way of living. But I would have never thought that they would try to eat Tapirus.", Tsanten grinned broadly.

" I just wish that they were able to hunt anything else than Tapirus, but on the other hand, in the forest near this place there aren't some bigger animals right now. The skypeople dispelled all of them. And Neytiri needs something more substantial than vegetable stew now for herself and our child."

"Of course she does!", Tsanten nodded.

"But actually I was on my way to ask you to come with me. Neytiri can't still get up, but there are important things we, I mean Maxpatel, Neytiri, Brenda the healer and me wanted to talk about with you." sighed Jake.

"Say, Jakesully, is it really important that you take part in this meeting", asked the older Na'vi thoughtfully.

"Umh, yes, I'm afraid it is . Although Max and Brenda can explain everything and Aketuan as well as Neytiri can speak the Skypeople language quite well, but the matter concerns me as well. Why do you ask ?", muttered Jake.

"I ask, because you look like a man who needs some time for himself.", said Tsanten, "You probably won't find a Yerik here but for sure you will find some Teylu and maybe you are able to shoot some fishes too. So, I would propose that you take my Pa'li after the meeting, as well as my bow and my quiver and go for a hunt or, more probably for a gathering of good food. You will find inside my quiver two very fine fishing arrows and, as you know, pregnant women should eat lots of fishes. And," the Na'vi added,"You aren't only a father-to-be, you are the Olo'eyctan of the Omatikaya and as well the Olo'eyctan of the skypeople as it looks to me. Your mind needs some rest if you want to do your duties properly."

"You're right, I would enjoy some hours alone in the forest right now. The last couple of days were... kind of stressful. " said Jake, feeling amazed by Tsantens insight and thoughtfullness,"This meeting is important though. But when it's finished, I would be glad to accept your offer. Please let me guide you to the room where Neytiri and the others are you please follow me?"

After they've entered MEDBAY1, Neytiri called first to Aketuan, regardless of Tsantens higher age.

"Hello, Aketuan! How nice to see you again! How was life for you since whe met the last time?"

Aketuan smiled somewhat affectedly. " Our great mother smiled on me, sister. And I'm happy to see that you have found a wonderful mate too!"

While Jake grinned a bit abashed, Neytiri looked at Tsanten: "Please forgive me that I didn't greeted you first as it would be the proper way. I was just so glad to meet a clanmate who had to leave us again." "I don't mind, Neytiri." Tsanten smiled insightfully," I understand completely that the Omatikaya miss Aketuan. He is the joy of my heart and everyone of the Tipani loves him."

Max harrumphed: "Well, let's just go right to the topic." And without any other divagiations he began to explain how avatars in general and especially Jake's one were made, including the story how Gliese got the stemcells and why they where so special.

Tsanten understood immediatly the implication of this event.:" And this means that Jakesully, the sixth Toruk Makto and me, are...brothers, at least brothers in blood?" He faced Jake: "I did like you immediatly, right in the moment when we met for the first time. But this is ...just inconceivable...

"And this is not all what I have to tell you", continued Max, "There was a second sample of the umbilical blood and it is still here in Hell's Gate after all this years. Brenda would like to examine your back and tail and then, maybe, if the injury of your spine isn't too complicate...we could use the stemcells in this blood to heal you."

Tsanten looked at Max disbelieving. "Are you saying that maybe I will be able to move my tail again?" he said, and Aketuan put an arm around his mate affectionately.

"I can't promise anything," interjected Brenda, "As Max said, at first I have to examine the injury before I can say anything about the chances of a healing. If you want, we can right now go over to the other MEDBAY and I will have a look on it. What do you think?"

After a long moment of silence Tsanten looked at his mate and nodded.

"Would you please follow me then ?"asked Brenda, "Of course your mate may come with us."

Before Jake had a chance to gain back his level head he asked Tsanten: "Would you mind if I come with you too?"

The Na'vi looked at him for a long time and said finally: "No, Jakesully, I won't mind."

Max asked Tsanten too and he got also the allowance to withstand the exam.

They went to the other MEDBAY and Brenda asked Tsanten what he could remember of the accident, but there wasn't much he could tell her.

"While we were chasing the Talioang towards a dried river bed, I fell off my Pa'li and I rolled myself out of the way of the following animals. For a moment I thought I was safe, but then I felt a sharp pain and lost consciousness."

"So, let's see...," Brenda pointed at the guerney, " Please lay down on your stomach so that I can the electrodes put on your back and your tail. Don't worry, please. The examination won't hurt you and it won't take much time."

After Tsanten did as Brenda said, she asked him to remove the strap of his loincloth which took hold on his tail. Aketuan helped his mate with this task and then the medic placed the electrodes on Tsantens lower back and tail and then, after she helped to put the tail, which was slack as a rope, in a straight position, she went to operate the medical diagnosis unit. Everyone in the room hold his breath.

After a few moments she gasped and looked beaming with exitement at the Na'vi: " It's a clean rupture!", she pointed at the picture what the diagnosis unit displayed, " Look here! The bone itself isn't damaged! I assume that the stormbeest stepped with one hoof on the end of your tail while at the same time it hit your body with another hoof. You were thrown in the air and this caused a rupture of the caudal vertebrae!"

Tsanten's gaze showed that he didn't had a clue about what was going on and Aketuan asked: "I don't know these words. What are you saying?"

Jake intervened, beaming with happiness: " It means that you will be able to move your tail again, to walk and run properly again and...to get an Ikran again!"

"What...?", whispered Tsanten to Jake, "Is this really true?"

When Jake nodded enthusiastically, Aketuan embraced his mate and buried his face into Tsantens shoulders.

Max, who had remained silent over the whole time, asked Brenda: "When can you start working on this?

"As soon as I have the defrosted bloodsample. I just need to extract the stemcells and combine them with the programmed nanites." and then, facing Tsanten, she said: " I think, after I injected the solution into your body, it will take proabably six weeks or so until you start to gain back the use of your tail." she stated, still exideted. After Aketuan had translated, Tsanten buried his head into his arms, finally breaking down. Aketuan stroked his mate's wet cheeks and all Jake could hear was Tsanten saying: "I may perhaps be able to call back hufwe'itan ?"

Max grabbed his communicator and called Norm. " Norm, you will immeadiatly take the bloodsample out of the gene bank and bring it into the GENLAB. Brenda and me will be there in a few minutes time. Take Amy with you as she knows how to defrost it. And Norm..I will kill you if anything happens to the bloodsample. Amy is due to start the defrosting process immediatly!

While Max was still talking exitedly to Norm, the three Na'vi left the building.

They stood silently, recovering from the exitement before and Jake took a deep breath. But before he could say anything, Tsanten whistled sharply and waved towards the Tipani camp. Soon a young huntress runned towards them and Tsanten instructed her to give his Pa'li, his bow and his quiver to Toruk Makto.

Not even ten minutes later Jake was settled comfortably on the broad back of Tsanten's Pa'li and had his bow and quiver slung over his shoulders.


	16. Chapter 16

**Disclaimer: I don't own Avatar or Pandora and I don't make any profit by writing this.**

**Chapter 16**

After he passed the main entrance of Hell's Gate, Jake let the Pa'li canter over the former 'death zone' of Hell's Gate. With his sensitive noose he could still smell the stench of the herbicides although it was fading now and already he could see the first plants reconquering the land. He could see the omnipresent huge Sari plants as well as some Anemonid plants growing on the tortured soil. Soon the Anemonids would clean the contaminated soil from the poison, so that other plants would follow within a few months time.

A few moments later, he reached the edge of the forest and instructed the Pa'li to slow down to a pace. Jake flared his nostrils and took in the smells of the forest. His ears swiveled, but he couldn't hear much more than the sound of the wind in the trees, some insects and from a farer distance the noise of a small herd of Tapirus, ploughing the soil while searching for something eadible. Then the wind changed it's direction and he heard a strange wailing noise, coming from a place a few miles in the west. Jake grinned. That was a good start for a gathering tour. Neytiri _loved_ roasted seeds of the Banshee of Paradise.

A few minutes later he arrived at the place where the origin of the wailing was and and approached the Banshee of Paradise carefully. The Na'vi surrounded it, anxiously avoiding to come close enough for the sensitive thermal detectors of the twenty foot tall plant - this would have very painfull consequences - and finally he was at backside where the stings couldn't do any harm. Yes, he could see a seedpod with lots of ripe kernels! Jake picked a big leaf from a tree, folded it in to a kind of bag and tucked it under the strings of his loincloth. Then he climbed the stem of the plant and gathered two hands full of the tasty kernels. Contended closed Jake the "leaf bag" by plucking the stem of the leaf in

a slit he cut before. He put the small package in his carry net, mounted the Pa'li again and let it trot westbound, where a small river was which provided Hell's Gate with water.

He opened up all his senses to the information Eywa gave him and so, after a while, he picked up the scent of rotting wood. Soon he could see a big trunk of a fallen tree and when he laid his ears on it, he could hear the Teylu, grubbing and eating their way trough the trunk. Good. But the Teylu could wait. At first he would look after the fishes. Jake imprinted the place into his memory where the rotting trunk laid and headed in direction of the river.

Soon he could hear the Hell's Gate river, as it was called, but the first impression was a disappointment.

Although no longer the wastewater from the unobtainium refinery was discharged into the river, it was still sick by the abuse of the past. He could smell the stench of death and he saw dead bodies of fishes floating around. The Anemonoids, this brightly glowing underwater beings, where long gone. It would take months, if not years, until life would return to this place. Jake decided to ride some more miles upstream, until he came to a part of the river was still healthy.

One hour later he found a shallow river bend, which was a perfect place for bow fishing. The water was cristal clear and Jake could see the Anemonoids on the ground, already showing their wonderful play of colours, although it was still daytime. For a moment Jake smiled, remembering the night when he and Neytiri became a mated couple...Before she brought him to the Trees of Voices, they swam in the river near Hometree, engulfed by the pink and violet glow of the Anemomoids.

And now she carried the fruit of this night under hear heart.

Still smiling, he dismounted the Pa'li and took its leash off the saddlebag. Then he pulled one of the fishing arrows out of Tsanten's quiver, bound the cord of the arrow on his wrist and readied the bow. Jake chose a small sandbank and watched the slowly flowing water.

He stood as still as a statue, drawed the bow and after a while he could see a couple of Eight-Fin fishes. Although these big, salmonlike fishes weren't as delicious as Gargoyle fishes, they were a very fine prey as well. He ceased his breathing, took aim, shot - and a moment later he pulled the fish off the water. It was a fine, big specimen of its kind. After he removed the arrow he said the prayer of the hunters and stowed the fish in his carry net.

Jake decided to try and get another fish and thirty minutes later he succeded. After he stashed the fish to his fellow in the carry net, he mounted the Pa'li again and rode back to the place where the big trunk was.

The Na'vi removed carefully with his knife some of the bark and gathered two dozens of the tasty grubs and put them in the two prepared leaf bags. After finished with that task, Jake replaced the bark again on the trunk.

Jake cast a look at the sky and sighed. It was time now to return to Hell's Gate. His carry net was well stocked and the position of the sun told him that it was afternoon by now. He didn't bother about gathering some vegetables as there were enough of them available in the gardens of the avatar compound.

One hour later the Pa'li trotted again through the big entrance of Hell's Gate and after passing the landing zone and the hangar, he moved the mare towards the camp of the Tipani.

Jake grinned when he saw that the Na'vi decided to forego the blessings of the avatar kitchen. Instead they had improvised a small firepit, using shattered fragments of concrete for cooking stones.

The young huntress who handed him out Tsanten's Pa'li and bow earlier in the day, approached him. "I see you, Olo'eyctan!", she pointed at his well filled carry net, " So your gathering tour was a success, as it seems?"

"I see you," Jake replied after dismounting the Pa'li, "Yes, it was a good day. I've got two fishes, Teylu and some Banshee of Paradise seed. Where are Tsanten and Aketuan?"

The young woman smiled and nodded towards one of the tents: "After they told us the great news, they retired into their tent.", and she led the mare to the other Pa'li which where enjoying the nectar of the pitcher plants growing on a patch nearby.

An older male approached Jake and said: " I see you. Toruk Makto. My name is Atan'eko. Do wish our help with preparing the food you gathered ?"

Jake smiled and said: " I will roast the kernels right now and bring them to my mate and I want to keep the Teylu for tomorrow. But I would be very grateful indeed if you would cook the fishes. I'm afraid I didn't had any time yet to learn the art of cooking."

"Of course, Toruk Makto!", Atan'eko nodded.

Jake squatted down on his heels and emptied the carry net. First he took the packages which contained the Teylu and put them aside, then he handed the two fishes over to the older Na'vi. He opened the leaf bag with the seeds and put them on one of the heated cooking stones.

While he was waiting for the seeds to be roasted, Max approached the small camp.

"Hi, Jake! Where are Tsanten and Aketuan? I wanted to tell them that we can start with the treatment tomorrow."

Jake grinned broadly: "Hi, Max! I'm afraid, both of them are, um, quite busy in the moment. What's the news?"

"Oh,"stated Max, " Brenda and me are nearly finished with the work. I extracted the stemcells from the bloodsample and Brenda will have very soon the nanites ready." Just after he finished the phrase, Tsanten and Aketuan reached their crescendo in the tent.

The noise was low but unmistakable. Max blushed until the colour of his face changed into a deep red. The surrounding Na'vi looked curiously at him.

"Oh, why must this always happen to me...", Max muttered desparately.

"I never knew that the skypeople are able to change the colour of their skin! ", stated Atan'eko wonderingly.

"He feels embarrassed, that's why Maxpatel is changing the colour of his skin.", smiled Jake.

"Embarrassed ? But why? Did we anything what offended him?", asked Atan'eko, clearly concerned.

"No, no. He just isn't used to our ways.", Jake appeased grinning and turned to Max: "Listen, we can't go simply into the forest everytime we wish to mate. If we'd do so, than probably the Na'vi would have been extincted already a long time ago."

"So...why?", asked Max, still feeling quite embarrassed.

"Just imagine two Na'vi, joined in Tsaheylu and enjoying their lovemaking, in the midst of the forest and possibly at nighttime. We can protect ourselves against the viperwolves, but what would a Thanator do when he gets sight of the couple ? Even a Slinger would dare to attack them, being in that kind of state, although normally it doesn't attack prey which is larger than it's own size. But so ? Helpless and preoccupied? The poor couple would be the perfect prey!"

"I've never thought of it that way," Max said," But what about the Trees of Voices? As far as we now, there aren't any predators ?"

Jake laughed: "Then every Na'vi couple would need their own Tree of voices. We only go there on special occasion, for example when we're mating for the first time."

"Ah, well, I see..." muttered Max.

Meanwhile the scent of the still roasting Banshee of Paradise kernels reached Jake's nose. " Oh, damn!", he cursed, grabbing quickly a small bowl and a wooden stick. He managed to get the hot kernels into the bowl before they were burnt.

He nodded to Max: " Better I'll bring them to Neytiri as long as they're still hot."

"See you later then!", sighed the scientist, feeling relieved that the embarrissing talk was finished for now.

A few moments later Jake went into Neytiri's room.

"Ah, " she pondered, "I believe I had a mate once, but he runned away and I don't know where."

"I'm so sorry, my love," said Jake contritely, "Could it be that my beloved mate maybe is willing to accept a compensation for all the lonely and boring hours? Maybe a bowl of freshly roasted Banshee of Paradise Kernels?"

"Hm...", was her only comment, but when Jake waved the bowl right in front of his mate's noose, she snickered and said : " I accept the apology! " and, faster than a Slinger shooting his head, she snatched the bowl out of Jake's hand and immediatly began to eat the treat. Still munching, she asked :" So, your gathering tour was a success ?"

"Yes, " Jake smiled, " We will have some fish for dinner, which by the courtesy of the Tipani will be cooked for us and for tomorrow I've got some Teylu. But you won't believe, what Max and me were talking about some minutes before..."

"So, tell me!" demanded Neytiri and, after Jake finished his tale, she laughed loudly : " Oh, I think, there are even more differences between the Skypeople and us than I could have ever guessed."


	17. Chapter 17

**Disclaimer: I don't own Avatar or Pandora and I don't make any profit by writing this.**

**Chapter 17**

"I feel happy that Tsanten can be healed. It must be horrible for a hunter to live that way." sighed Neytiri.

Jake nodded seriously: " He has got some difficulties with proper walking, let alone with running. When Brenda told him that she could heal him, his first thought was if he could call back his Ikran. Do you think that's possible?"

"An Ikran will never forget it's makto. If Tsanten is able to find his Ikran again, then I have no doubts that it would return to him - that is, if it's still alive. I saw Ikran who starved themselves to death after losing their rider.", said Neytiri and shook her head.

"Let's hope it's still alive and Tsanten can find him again. His name was Hufwe'itan. I don't want to see Tsanten's heart broken for a second time.", muttered Jake.

"You both do really like one another, as it seems, and I think Aketuan likes you too," Jake's mate smiled, "That's a good thing. So, Brenda will begin with the treatment already tomorrow?"

"I think, you're right," grinned Jake, "What Tsanten and me concerns as well as about Brenda's treatment. But we can ask her later about that. At first I should try and find an avatar sized radio or a normal one - and a human who operates it for me. It's really high time that I contact Mo'at to keep her updated about you and what's going on here."

"Of course you are right, my Jake." replied Neytiri,"Although I doubt that she's really worried about myself. She knows, that if anything bad happened, you would have talked to hear immediatly."

He smiled and kissed her on the forehead: "I'll be right back, my love. As far as I know, an avatar-sized radio should be in the longhouse."

"And don't spend to much time chatting with the Tipani. Just think on your poor mate, who lies alone in this cold boring room and who has read this book forward and backward meanwhile.", she pointed at the book which laid on the chair close to her guerney.

"I didn't know that you're such a fast reader", smirked Jake and squirted through the door, just in time before he got hit by the cushion his mate tossed after him.

On his way to the longhouse he met Norm." Hi, Norm, where have you been all the day?"

"Working in the labs. I assisted Max, Brenda and Amy as much as I could. If such a bloodsample is defrosted then one has to work really quickly."

"It's just great that you all are trying to help Tsanten. He, his mate and the Tipani will apprecciate that. Before he suffered the accident, he was one of the best hunters of the Tipan." Jake said, "But listen, is there still the radio for the avatars in the longhouse? I'd like to speak with Mo'at."

"Yes, sure it is. You'll find it just beside the door, on the right side. I'd would advise though that you use it in the open. The interferences caused by the Halleluja Mountains are bad enough, even without a building surrounding you, you will probably need some time to find a good frequency. It's still a miracle to me how Meuia always manages to get such a clear radio reception."

Jake laughed: "He's a genius, that's why! When I teached him how to use the radio, he catched on within fifteen minutes the basic functions and within one further hour all the tricks about tuning, amplifying the range and sending encoded messages. My radio instructor back on earth would have cried tears of joy over such a student."

"Yes, they're talented...", muttered Norm lowly, "Jake, afterwards, when you have time, I'd like to talk with you about some thing I've found in Grace's secret records."

"She made secret records ?" wondered Jake, suddenly serious again, "Why?"

"I'll tell you later. And there were two avatars drivers who know about her discoveries.", Norm smiled, " Just tell me when you're free and I will invite Jagelowskaya, she's a sociologist and ethnologist and Osbourne, who's psychologist and ethologist, to join the meeting. I promise that you will go slack-jawed over what the three of them found out!"

"Wow, that sounds amazing!" said Jake, " This call to Mo'at is really important though, but as soon as I've got some time I'll look out for you. But, if you want, you could tell about Grace's discoveries with Neytiri. She's as much a leader of the Omatikaya as myself and if this concerns the Na'vi, she should hear about it anyway."

"Of course you're right, Jake! Why didn't I thought of this? Although I think, you should know about this too. But ok, do your tasks first. I'll call Oxana and Raimund and visit Neytiri." sputtered Norm.

"Do this!", said the former avatar,"Neytiri feels bored anyway. She will be glad about an meeting of such importance."

"Ok, then, "called Norm, hurrying away, "Have a nice talk with Mo'at!"

"Sure I'll have", replied Jake. After all there was nothing bad he had to give as account of to his adopted mother and mother-in-law.

When Jake entered the longhouse and found the radio on the place Norm had described, he heard the sound of splashing water from the backside of the building. Curiously he went through the rows of cots and left the longhouse through the backdoor, just to see Louise watching how a concrete basin was filled with water.

"So, now we'll get even a swimming pool !" he said laughing, "Damn, that was the only thing I missed here until now."

"It's for Tsanten, He and his mate will stay here for about six weeks, while the others will continue their voyage to the Tree of Souls. Brenda said that Tsanten would need some physiotherapy and then I remembered this old basin where we kept formerly the fishes, before we've got the big fish tanks in the biolab. I've told her about what a difference the water gymnastics made,after my cousin had his accident. Brenda said that it was a great idea and she worked out a complete therapy plan for Tsanten, beginning on the second day after the treatment of the caudal vertebrae.", she snickered," I wonder what Tsanten will think, if he hears about what we are up to with him."

"I don't know what he will think about the gymnastics, but for sure he will enjoy the pool. Every Na'vi loves water and a swim in the morning is the very best way to begin the day.", said Jake. Then he went with the radio tucked under his arm to the farthest edge of the garden, sat down, switched the radio on, entered the right channel and cursed until he managed to tune the frequency until he'd got a clean reception.

As it was nearly always the case, Meuia operated the radio. After a short greeting he said: " I suppose you want to speak with the Tsa'hik and I sent already a child to fetch her. But, Toruk Makto, maybe you could do me favour, as long as you are in Hell's Gate..."

Jake shrugged: "Just tell me, Meuia, and I will see what I can do about it."

Meuia answered." As you know, I went together with Neytiri, Sylwanin, Tsu'tey and some other children to the school of Sa'nok Grace. I've learned how to read books. And now I would like to read a book about radio."

Jake wondered: " A book how a radio works or just something about how to operate a radio?"

"Oh, I'm interested in everything about radio. But please, you have much to care about now. It isn't that important."

"Don't care, Meuia, no problem. I'll ask Anderson about this. You remember Anderson?", ashed Jake.

"Oh yes. He's the man who provided the children with these bouncing balls - and brought back the smile on their faces," snickered Meuia, " But here comes the Tsahik. I will leave you to your talk now. Meuia over."

"I see you, my son!" said Mo'at," After you didn't try to talk with me since yesterday, I suppose, my daughter and my grandchild are well?"

"Yes, mother both of them are well. Brenda the healer says that the further pregnancy will go completely normal. And in two or three day we will be back again at the Tree of Souls."; then Jake smiled, "Mother, we will have a son. Did you know this already? His name shall be Tsu'tey."

When she did'nt answer after some time, Jake asked : "Mother?"

"Oh, my son, " she said, and Jake had a lump in his throat when he realized that the Tsahik was crying, "You know this already? You know this for sure?"

"Yes Mother," he whispered,"Eywa told me, the night I..began my new life. It will be a strong and happy child."

"And Tsu'tey is a good, a strong name.", Mo'at said, seemingly getting control over her feelings again.

"But, Mother, there are other thing which happened here...", Jake began and the he told Mo'at everything, about the unexpected visit of the Tipani, about Tsanten and his mate and how Max told him about the connection between him and Tsanten and the bloodsample with the stemcells, and how his own body was made secretely from this bloodsample. He told her about how Tsanten and him did like one another from the very first moment, about Tsanten's injury and that Brenda could heal it, so that his brother in blood could become the great hunter again he was once.

He really thought, that Mo'at would be happy to hear about all this.

He was wrong.

Mo'ats reaction was stone cold. " Is that so?", she asked.

"Mother, what is it? Please tell me what worries you !" asked Jake anxiously.

"I'll see you then in two or three days," was her only answer. Then the radio connection was finished.

When Jake went back to Neytiri's room, he was in a daze. _'Eywa, what happened right now?'_, he asked himself, just hoping that he might find the answer to that question together with his beloved mate.


	18. Chapter 18

**Disclaimer: I don't own Avatar or Pandora and I don't make any profit by writing this.**

**Author's notice: Thank you so much for all the awesome reviews. It's simply great that I, although I'm not a nativespeaker, get so much support here. Thank you so very much! And now some short explanations concerning this chapter: The book mentioned in the chapter is "The Na'vi" written by Phred Palmer and to be seen in the movie. Bakteyo is, hm, one could call it an OC (although a dead one) of mine and the story of Bakteyo is mentioned in "Two Minutes", Chapter 4.**

**Chapter 18**

When Jake entered the MEDBAY, Max leaned against a wall and two avatars, a female one and a male were sitting on the second guerney.

"Where's Norm?" asked Jake.

"He left some minutes before. He said, that he wanted to go and find a laptop to show us these records Grace had made." said the head of the biolab.

Neytiri looked at Jake and realised immediatly that something was wrong. Very wrong. Her welcoming smile faded and she asked, visibly concerned: "My Jake, what happened? Please tell me..."

Jake looked uncomfortably at the visitors and hesitated. "Maybe later..."

Max cast a worried look at Jake and turned to the other visitors: " Maybe we should leave now...?" Just when the others nodded and sat up, Jake made a decision and said: " No...no. Something strange happened when I talked with Mo'at right now. It is...well, at first I told Mo'at that everything is well with Neytiri and the baby and of course she was very happy to hear that. But then I told her about Tsantens visit, the whole story about the bloodsample and what's going on with Tsanten. And suddenly she was completely changed. She just asked with an stone cold voice 'Is that so?' and then she didn't want to talk to me anymore.., She just said that we will meet then in two or three days and broke off the communication without even saying a Good Bye. I don't know what happened, but I have to admit that I'm kind of shocked right now..", he looked helplessly at his mate: "I never experienced her before in such a mood. Not even in the moment when Quaridge attacked Hometree.."

Neytiri shook her head and asked: " Did you explain her that the umbilica was given back, that this man just draw some blood of it?"

"Yes, of course I did! I know that the umbilica must be given back to Eywa by any means.", sighed Jake.

Neytiri just looked helplessly. She ,as well as her mate, couldn't understand the sharpness of her mother's reaction.

Finally Max harrumphed and looked at the couple a bit sheepisly, while the avatars felt visibly rather uncomfortable.

"Well, I think, I must confess something...", he began, " I did knew", and here decided Max to leave Norm out of this mess, "about that story with the stemcells and Tsanten for a while now. You remember the day when I brought you the laptop with that message from your brother? At that time I did know about the whole story, but I didn't know if Tsanten was still alive, and you weren't fully recovered yet, not to mention you had to mourn your own losses...So I decided, I would talk about it with Mo'at first."

But Jake was nobody's fool. "You wouldn't have been able to explain such a complex story to Mo'at without some help. So Norm had to knew about this too." He glared angrily at Max, relaxed then, realising in the same moment that his friends didn't had any bad intentions and sighed: " How did she reacted when you told her about this?"

Max replied: "At first she was outraged. For a moment I really thought she would get violent. But when Norm explained her again that no taboo was broken, she calmed herself. I think, for a moment she thought about what she just learned from us - and then she reacted in the same way as she did when you told her the story. Cold and maybe kind of calculating. She asked us about the names of Tsanten's parents and then she said, she would contact the Tipani as soon as the Omatikaya would have moved to a new Hometree, but not until then." He shook his head and continued: " Now, after I heard Neytiri's and Tsanten's opinion about this, I must admit that I feel quite mystified about Mo'at's reaction as well. I was wondering about that question already this morning, whe we told Tsanten about your origin."

"Yes, I agree with you Maxpatel," interjected Neytiri, " The umbilica was given back and there's no law concerning the blood it may contain. After all, it's really impossible to bury the umbilica with all the blood it contained at the beginning of the birth. The bloodsoaked sheets and pieces of moss are buried together with the holy cord, that's true, but, for example the water wherein the newborn was bathed, is simply poured away, just like any dishwater, although it contains this blood as well."

Now the male avatar harrumphed discretely.

"Oh, please forgive me, Raimund," said Max and faced Jake, " Surely you remember Oxana Jagelowskaya and Raimund Osborne from the interviews."

"Of course!", said Jake, " You mentioned that you worked together with Dr. Palmer on the sociocultural part of his book."

Raimund and Oxana nodded. "There were so many interviews you had with the humans which applied for asylum here on Pandora . So, just to remember, Oxana is a sociologist and ethnologist and I'm a psychologist as well as a ethologist."

Jake smiled: " You're a kind of shrink for avatars and Na'vi. Yes, ", then he nodded politely to Oxana, "Of course I remember you. How are you doing?"

"Thank you, we're fine. It might have been a hard decision to fight and to stay here for some of us. But not for me. I remember all to well how China occupied Siberia twenty years ago. I don't wish this to happen to another people - or another world again."

Raimund laid pensively his hands on his knees. " Concerning your problem...What, if it isn't about a broken taboo at all?"

"What do you mean?", queried Jake curiously.

"Well, you mentioned that Mo'at adopted you. Actually she needn't to do that. You are her son-in-law, so you are a member of the family anyway. Did she told you about if there might have been a special reason for her doing this?", the psychologist asked carefully.

Jake looked at Neytiri, who nodded encouragingly and sighed: " Yes, there is a story hidden behind that. Look. Mo'at had once not only two, but three children. The eldest one was a boy. They called him Bakteyo..." Jake hesitated.

"Yes..., please go on." Raimund encouraged Jake.

"It happened when Sylwanin was two years old. Neytiri was born only a few days ago...Bakteyo was six years old then.", Jake looked again at his mate questioningly.

She looked sadly, but said: " Tell that story, my Jake. I've got an assumption now why this might be important for this issue we are facing right now."

He decided to leave out his own musing about Mo'at blaming herself why she let her son play with the older boys instead sending him to the child caretakers ." Bakteyo died in an accident. He climbed with other boys in Hometree and he climbed much to high. He did fell to his death. The poor boy was already dead when the other children had fetched Mo'at. ", he sighed, "Even Neytiri didn't know this story until the day after my rebirth. Mo'at said, she adopted me, because I have the same light inside me like Bakteyo once had."

Raimund nodded, but remained silent for a moment. Just saying a bland 'I see' would have been for sure the wrongest interjection to such a tragedy.

"She lost two of her three children then ?" he asked Neytiri.

The future Tsahik of the Omatikaya nodded silently, but didn't say a word.

Raimund looked at Jake again: " You and Tsanten are - in the terms of the Na'vi as well as from the human point of view, at least concerning genetics - of the same blood. Which means, you are practically brothers. And, as I heard, you both immediatly got along very well, even before you heard the story."

"That's true.", stated Jake stiffly.

"As I said, you share the same genetic origin. Which means that Tsanten's parents - I don't remember their names right now -"

"Amyriat and Sílron'zem " said Jake in an instant.

"Right. Amyriat and Sílron'zem could claim the rights of parenthood concerning you. Of course, you are an adult man now, but you are Olo'eyctan and - first of all - Toruk Makto. That's the Na'vi version of a Messias as I understood it. Can you imagine what this would mean for Amyriat and Sílron'zem? To be the parents of Toruk Makto? ", the psychologist said vividly.

"Great Mother...", whispered Jake.

He went to Neytiri and the couple embraced. " My Love, please, would you mind if I go outside for a moment. I think, I need some fresh air.", the new Na'vi said lowly.

"Go, and calm yourself, my Jake. Maybe you should meditate - or, if you want - talk to Tsanten about what just happened."

"Thank you, Neytiri. I see you." he said. He kissed her endearingly and left the room without saying any further word.

.


	19. Chapter 19

**Disclaimer: I don't own Avatar or Pandora and I don't make any profit by writing this.**

**Chapter 19**

When Jake had left the building he took a deep breath and decided to go to the waterbasin at the backside of the longhouse. He was sure that Louise must finished with filling it by now.

Although it was actually to small for a Na'vi to swim, it was big enough for just to sit in and relax.

When he arrived he saw that already somebody let float himself in the basin. Obviously Tsanten had discovered his small pool - or maybe Louise had told him about.

"Hello Tsanten!", Jake said and tried to sound as casually as possible. " As I see you have already discovered the pool Louise prepared for you to help with your healing."

"Hello, Jake!" The Na'vi opened his eyes and gave Jake a glance."It's a very enjoyable thing, especially when the muscles in your back and legs are hurting." admitted Tsanten, pursing his lips.

"I see,"said Jake, "When my legs were dead in my former life, and I could only move around with the help of a wheelchair, my neck and my shoulders did hurt quite often. And your body wasn't made for keeping the balance without a tail."

"That's true. Will you tell me of your former life, the time when you were one of the skypeople? I already heard that your legs were dead by then, but in spite of my crippled tail, I can't imagine what it means to live without usable legs." Then Tsanten looked more carefully at Jake, suddenly looking worried when he saw the troubled face of Jake.

"What happened ? Is something wrong with Neytiri?"

When the former avatar shook his head, Tsanten looked intendedly at him and said:" What is it then? You look as you had met a Palulukan eye to eye right now..."

Jake sighed : " Would you mind, if I come in?"

"Of course not...!" Tsanten replied and waved invitingly.

Then Jake told him everything what happened , beginning with Mo'ats strange reaction, then turning over to the reason why Mo'at adopted him and ending with Raimund's opinion about the whole issue.

Tsanten closed his eyes pensively and rested his neck at the edge of the basin and remained silent for some moments.

"I think Raimund is right. It would certainly mean a lot for my parents to call the Toruk Makto their son."

"But they've got you...", wondered Jake.

"Yes. But perhaps it might be desirable to them to be able to call Toruk Makto their son...You see, I'm the only child of my parents. Ney'ite strongly advised them not to make another child, due to the dangerous birth of mine. So my father never stopped to drink the purple leaf tea. But I was born in a year when many other children where born into our clan. If this happens, then our great mother makes that some of these children later in their life will choose mates of their own sex and they won't conceive children of their own. And as I was the only child of my parents, this means that they will never see any grandchildren. And as if that wasn't enough, I decided to break up with the tradition of my family. My parents, my grandparents and probably all of my ancestors were potters. But I decided to become taronyu."

"Although I'm living now only for a few months among the People, I think I've learned enough to know that your parents wouldn't stop loving you. I can't imagine any Na'vi parents who don't love their children.", stated Jake.

"No, of course they won't. Does this happen among the skypeople?" asked Tsanten.

"I'm afraid,... yes.", sighed Jake. "If a child is unwanted or if the parents don't find it acceptable..then yes."

"What happens to these children then?" asked the older Na'vi, visibly shocked by this revelation.

Jake hesitated to answer the question. "What shall I say? It's really cruel...but, if the child is lucky, it gets adopted by other people, but more often, the parents simply try to get rid of the child. I've got known of a guy who was together with me in basic training, that he lived for years on his own, alone on the streets, without a home. His parents did simply sent him away, when they decided to separate and none of them wanted the child."

Tsanten suddenly straightened himself up so fast, that the water splashed around him."But that is.. the most horrible thing I heard in all my life ! It is against Eywa's will! How could they do such a gruesome thing?"

"I don't know. My memory is fading quickly, I can hardly remember my former life - although I think that I will never forget how to fight and a few things about my family. I think, they raped their mother before they killed her. But I'm not longer able to understand the skypeople. And I'm thankful for that.", replied Jake.

"They raped and killed their mother?" asked Tsanten disbelievingly, "What are you telling me? "

Jake shook slowly his head and frowned, diving into his memories: " I think, there were no trees left. I can't remember anything green.", his voice growing desperate, " The world was grey and dark, noisy and dirty, overcrowded with skypeople, but everybody was alone. There was no love left..."

"Please, calm down brother! I'm so sorry that I made you remember such horrible things!" said Tsanten and laid a comforting hand on Jake's shoulder, "Take deep breaths. Please, brother, listen to me. You are no longer at this horrible place. All is well. You're here, on Eywa'eveng, among your family and everybody loves you."

Jake looked like just waking up from a bad dream. He took some deep breathes. After a moment he looked at Tsanten and asked: "What were we talking about?"

"We were talking about, if my parents would claim the right of parenthood of Toruk Makto, since we both are of the same blood.", said Tsanten.

"Oh, right," muttered Jake. "Any suggestions what we should do now?" The he sighed: "I really don't know what I could do to ensure Mo'at that I want to stay her adopted son. At first she seemed to me just angry, but now I know that it wasn't anger, but it was desperation. And from your side that problem doesn't look really simply as well."

"We must behave like Nantang," stated Tsanten and lifted himself out of the basin. "So caring and careful, so sneaky and clever like Nantang." He catched his slack tail and tucked it again on his girdle. "Don't worry, brother. We will solve that issue in a way that everybody, your adopted mother as well as my parents will be satisfied."

"You have already an idea?", queried the young Na'vi, when he got out of the pool as well and stood at it's edge, looking at his genetical brother curiously.

"Hmmm, " hummed Tsanten, " Maybe an acceptable compromise. What, if you take the name of my family and in return, my parents would accept that Mo'at stays your adopted mother?"

"That's a brilliant idea !" Jake smiled toothingly. "I think, I can manage that Mo'at might accept that compromise. After all she is so much looking forward to her grandchild that she will be much to exited when we return to really care about that issue."

"Yes, true. And I don't think that my parents will dare to challenge the mighty Tsahik of the Omatikaya. Not to say that Sä'nume would'nt be happy if they did so."

Jake nodded, still smiling: " I bet, she wouldn't be happy." The went together to the small camp of the Tipani, when Jake's stomach started to growl.

"Great Mother!", said Tsanten, "When did you eat someting for the last time?"

"Oh, this morning I had a bowl of vegetable stew. I simply didn't had the time to have a snack during the day." answered Jake grinning.

"Not good! You must eat properly.", said Tsanten, "Just a moment!" and he crawled into the tent he and his mate shared.

Then Aketuan, who was sitting near the fire pit, said a friendly 'Hello' to Jake and the Omatikaya greeted him in return: " It is so kind of you that you cook the fish for my mate and me. When will it be ready?"

"It will still take a little while, Toruk Makto. We cook it on very low heat, so that it will be very tender. Your mate won't have even to chew it, it will dissolve on her tongue."

Right in this moment Tsanten came out of the tent again. He went to Jake and gave him a Nikt'chey. Jake thanked him, took in the smell for a moment, found it absolutely enjoyable and took a hearty bite. He relished in the taste of smoked Yerik, cooked tender leaves and spices.

"And you?", asked Jake, " won't you eat anything? "

"Brenda the healer said I shouldn't eat anything until tomorrow. She wants to give me something what will keep me asleep when she tries to heal me." countered Tsanten.

"Ah, yes, I think it's better to go into a narcosis with an empty stomach.", stated the former avatar.

Just when he wanted to take another bite, an earsplitting screaming was to be heard from beyond the basketball field

"Oh damn," Jake sighed,"What's cooking now again ?" and jogged towards the entrance of the MEDLABs, from where the noise came, closely followed by Tsanten.

They saw Brenda, shouting at the top of her lungs at Max and Norm, who stood there silent, facing the outraged woman helplessly.

"Didn't I tell you that Neytiri needed rest, that she has to be prevented from every exitement? Damn, This woman had nearly suffered an abort only yesterday! And now she's crying because she thinks that what remained of her family is breaking now!"

"Oh shit!", hissed Jake. He went to Brenda and shouted. " Leave them alone!", and, pointing at his breast, "Listen, I was my fault! I ran into the MEDBAY, exited because of all this trouble after I talked to Mo'at! It isn't Max's and Norm's fault! But tell me, are Neytiri and the baby okay?"

When she nodded, spechless for a moment, he ran past her and Max and Norm into the building and slammed the door behind him.


	20. Chapter 20

**Disclaimer: I don't own Avatar or Pandora and I don't make any profit by writing this.**

**Autor's note: I'd like to thank Xenobia for gratiously allowing me to make use of her idea of a Na'vi birth. And of course I'd like to thank the readers for their friendly reviews, especially Dark Inu - I'm always looking forward to read your comments. And of course I'd like to read more reviews...:-)**

**Chapter 20**

Neytiri sat on the guerney, with her knees tucked up on her breast, resting her forehead on her crossed arms.

"Neytiri.", whispered Jake, approaching her. No answer. He put softly a hand on her shoulder and let it move downwards, caressing her back. "Nothing will change. I promise."

"How can you promise that, my Jake. You are of their blood. They have the right to claim you as a son." she said in a tired voice."

"Please trust me, my Love. Tsanten has got a brilliant idea for a compromise. Please, listen..." While he explained her the plan, he sat himself astride on the guerney, pulled his legs around his mate and embraced her from behind.

After he was finished with his explanation, Neytiri nodded slowly and rested her head on his shoulder. "This might work.", she sighed, "Nobody would be completely happy, but feeling comfortable enough. It's a good compromise."

"Tsaheylu ?", he asked. She turned her face and looked at him. He returned the look, serious and solemn. This was not about mating. Not this time.

Neytiri nodded and they grasped their queues and allowed the delicate pink tendrils to connect. When Tsaheylu was completed, the couple gasped, After they've calmed down again, Jake began to breath in that special way Mo'at had taught him. He took in a deep breath through his noose and breathed out through his mouth, counting the breaths. When he reached eight, he began to count anew.

And Neytiri let him take the lead this time, as she was to worn out, to tired and to worried to concentrate herself properly this time. After the second round of counting their breathing began to harmonize, then finally they became one. She joined her mate in his calmness and serenity and her worries faded.

They didn't hear that someone knocked at the door. It was slowly opended and Norm and Aketuan stuck their heads in. Aketuan motioned Norm to be silent, went noiselessly into the room and placed the leaftray with the cooked fish on the second guerney.

When they were outside again, Norman gasped: " I've never seen before two Na'vi joined in Tsaheylu. This is amazing ! I thought, Tsaheylu between two peple would maybe like Tsaheylu between a rider and a Pa'li. But this is so different. They are like one being."

The Na'vi looked at Norm and at first he didn't know what to say, when Norm began to speak again: "Tsahaylu... I've heard that the Na'vi even can communicate with the deceased by bonding with aTree of Voices. Is that true?"

When Aketuan nodded, Norm continued with an desperate undertone: " Not even that we can. Not even that."

Aketuan felt so sorry for the skypeople, realising at once what they always missed, what they would never get to know. What a horrible lonely life. They would never truly see one another, or the beings living around them. They would never get to know Eywa. And, right in the moment, all that Aketuan could see for them was death, at least for the skypeople which still were on R'tha. For Norm and the other trustworthy people who were here, on Eywa'eveng, there at least would be the comfort that they would walk with Eywa at the end. He really didn't know what to tell Norm. Then a thought blossemed in his mind and he said: " Yes, it is different. But, you must know, for Eywa, spirit is all that matters."

Norm said lowly: " Surely she wouldn't reject a true warrior's spirit, wouldn't she?"

"She rejects nobody, Norm. Your Yawnetu is safe with her, please believe me.", replied Tsanten's mate.

"That was what Mo'at told me.", said Norm, nodded at Aketuan and went away, moving back and deeper inward the big grey building.

While Aketuan stepped through the metal door, back into the living world, he sighed. All he could see was death - not for the Na'vi, but for the skypeople. He needed his mate now.

Early in the next morning, Brenda stopped by Neytiri and Jake. The couple was sleeping together on one guerney and on the floor were scattered big leafs and fishbones. The couple was sleeping afast and Brenda woke them up with a friendly "Hello Lovebirds! How we are doing this morning?"

Jake grumbled under his breath and turned his head away, but Neytiri was seemingly in very good mood: " Good morning, Brenda. We are well. My mate, myself and our son."

Brenda checked the diagnosis unit and said: " Oh, it's a bit to early to say if you'll have a son. What if it's going to be a girl?"

"Nah, it's a boy and his name will be Tsu'tey.", said Jake, now fully awake.

"Ok,ok," said the medic resigning, " But please don't blame me if it isn't a boy, but a girl."

"Do I have to stay in bed this day too? I feel good and I want to be outside, outside of this walls.", complained Neytiri, while her mate got up from the guerney, stretching and craning his neck.

"I fully understand that you want to get out of this unfamiliar surrounding. It must feel quite strange for you to stay inside a stone buiding. Just let me first check on you. If the cervix is completely closed again, then you might go outside for a short walk.", said Brenda and then she grinned to Jake: "Would you please leave us alone now? This is a girl's thing, you know..."

Jake huffed and said: "Pregnancy and child bearing aren't really 'girl's things' - at least not among the Na'vi."

"So this thing I heard about is really true ? You make Tsahaylu while the woman gives childbirth?", asked Brenda curiously, "And - please correct me if I'm wrong - but does this mean that you actually will feel everything what she feels?"

Jake smirked and nodded: " It is the way."

"We didn't had reliable information about this until now, only rumours. That is amazing!", the medic laughed, "I bet, the men here on the base will feel a lot happier with themselves being human, when they hear that it wasn't just a rumour."

"But now, if you would, please...", she pointed meaningful at the door.

Jake grinned: "Ok,ok, I'm pushing off already..." and went to the door, when Brenda said: " Wait, maybe you could talk with Tsanten...You see, although it's actually only a minimal surgical intervention, I decided to give him an anesthesia. He isn't used to human medical treatment, not to mention the unfamiliar surrounding and I need him to be relaxed and calm for the injection between the two caudal vertebrae...I think, you could talk to him, explaining him, what's going to happen with him in a better way that I could."

"I can do that, " said Jake, "But it isn't as the Na'vi wouldn't know anesthesia. Tsanten is more exited about the chance of a healing than about the treatment."

He smiled at his mate: " After that I will look and try to find something for breakfast." Then he left the MEDBAY.


	21. Chapter 21

**Disclaimer: I don't own Avatar or Pandora and I don't make any profit by writing this.**

**Chapter 21**

Tsanten sat crosslegged aside of the fire pit and looked somewhat concerned.

'Maybe Brenda is right and he is more nervous about the treatment than I guessed,' thaught Jake when he approached the Na'vi.

"Kaltxi! Is everything ok?" he asked carefully, " Brenda said, I should talk with you about the treatment. She thought that she maybe didn't explained well enough what's going to happen."

"She explained everything perfectly. And no, I'm not concerned about the treatment." Tsanten looked towards the tent. "I'm concerned about Aketuan."

When Jake looked at him questioningly, Tsanten continued:" Since yesterday evening he's in such sad and desperate mood. He said something about a vision, but he doesn't want to talk about it with me." He shrugged. "All he said was that it wouldn't concern the Na'vi and Eywa'eveng ..."

"Then it must concern the tawtute," said Jake, " and maybe Earth...Does he often get visions?"

"Sometimes.", Tsanten sighed, "You must know, Tsmukan, that he was supposed to become the next Tsahik of the Tipani."

Jake leaned back and looked surprised at the Na'vi: " But, this would mean that you are supposed to become the next Olo'eyctan. That is, if the Tipani follow the same rules as the Omatikaya do."

"Yes, they do.", Tsanten grimaced with pain, " You must know, that Sänume doesn't have children of her own, as her mate, who was a very gifted young Tsahik, died at a very young age, shortly after they mated. And she refused to choose another mate. Replacing Sänume's mate, a young woman, Tanhi, became Tsahik. It is not the way, but it was the only possibility at that time. But Sänume as well as Tanhi are now getting old. Since years they were looking for heirs. When Aketuan came to the Tipani and we mated before Eywa, Tanhi recognized in him the future Tsahik. Sänume agreed and did choose me as the future Olo'eyctan. I was a good Taronyu and a good warrior at that time.", Tswanten smiled whistfully, " And so, both of us began to prepare ourselves for our future responsibilities."

Tsanten became silent for a moment.

"Then, one year ago, I suffered the hunting accident. Since then, I can't fly an Ikran anymore, I had to sent away my beloved Hufwe'itan, I can't even walk properly anymore, not to speak of running. I wouldn't be able to lead my people in a battle. Truth is that I would be helpless in a battle...So, I had to retreat. And Aketuan retreated with me."

"But now the situation has changed.", countered Jake. "You will regain your health and your strength. And listen, if you want, only if you want, I will go with you on Iknimaya and I'd like to help you to find Hufwe'itan and call him back!"

"I thank you, Tsmukan!", said Tsanten and looked at Jake pensively. " Look, what if found this morning, when I was on my way to the ...ah ...the thing you call _pool_."

He searched in his carry net and produced a bright blue stone.

It was a twinned stone, nearly looking like a heart and coloured like a turquoise.

"Wow, It would be perfect for our singing cords, a symbole for brothers! Do you think, we can separate it?", gasped Jake.

Tsanten smiled:" This shouldn't be a problem. That kind of stone can be split quite easily. But we don't have the tools at hand to pierce the halfths."

"No, but we can let the people at this place do it..", said Jake, "The humans here in Hell's Gate have tools, with which they can drill any bores you can think of. I think, Anderson would be the right man to ask for that."

"So. then let's do it!", replied Tsanten and Jake felt relieved to see some good mood coming back on Tsanten's face. The older Na'vi got up, fetched a stone axe from a place at the side of one of the tents and picked a fist-sized stone from the edge of the fire pit.

He squatted again in front of Jake and gave him the stone from the fire pit. Then he put the turquoise stone upright and set the blade of the axe into the small gap.

"Now, Tsmukan, carefully!", Tsanten whispered.

Jake hold the hammer-stone in his fist, made one single but careful strike and the blue stone was properly split in two halves.

Both of the Na'vi nodded contendedly. "That's it,"said Jake and grabbed his half of the stone, " "Would you give me your half too, so that I can bring it to Anderson?"

Tsanten nodded and handed Jake over his own stone.

Just when Jake had stashed both of the stones in his own carry net, he heard Neytiri's voice.

"Kaltxi, my Jake!"

"Kaltxi, my Love! What did Brenda said ? Is everything well now?", he called.

Neytiri went to him, still in her hospital gown. " Everything is well! Our little one is settled comfortably again in my womb and there are no signs that the further pregnancy might be disturbed." Then she sqatted aside of her mate and whispered in his ear: "I think in one or two weeks time, we will be able to listen to him."

Then she faced Tsanten: " Oel ngati kameie!" whe he touched his forehed courteously, she continued: "I feel sorry to ask for help again, but I need a new loincloth since my old one is soiled and can't be cleaned."

Jake looked at his mate contritely: " See, I tried to wash it but I didn't manage to get it clean again. I'm really sorry..."

Neytiri snuggled her forehead on her mate's neck: " There's nothing to exuse for. It's really difficult tzo remove bloodstains from leather.

Tsanten smiled: " Of course one of our female companions would like to help you for sure. But may I ask a favour too?"

"Of course, ma Tsanten! What is it I can do for you?", she asked.

"Please, could you talk to my mate? He has got visions, dark visions and I don't know what to say to him..." replied Tsanten.

"Of course," the future Tsahik of the Omatikaya answered, "Where is he?"

When Tsanten pointed at the tent, Jake got up on his feet again. " I'll look and try to find Anderson then. Or , wait, maybe you want me to accompany you to the MEDBAY? I think, it would be a good idea if someone who speaks Inglisi to be with you."

Neytiri immediatly entered the tent and then, right after that, Max, Brenda and Norm approached Jake and Tsanten.

"Hello, time to start into you new life!" called Brenda cheerfully.

" I think, it won't be necessary that you go with me", said Tsanten, Norm knows the language of the people and may translate for me."

" Ok, then. Norm, can you tell me where to find Anderson?", Jake asked.

"If you would wait a few minutes?" said Norm, "I'll be back as soon as everything is on the way." He looked at Tsanten: " Don't worry. please. In a few minutes time you will be fast asleep and probably you are going to be sleeping away the biggest part of the day."

Jake nodded and was about to sat down again, when a thought came into his mind. He went to Tsantens and Aktetuans tent and scratched at the leather plane. " Neytiri...? Aketuan, Tsanten is going to leave now for the treatment."

Immediatly Aketuan crawled out of the tent and Neytiri looked at her mate, visibly concerned.

"Oh, hello Aketuan !", said Norm. Aketuan looked at the human like he was a ghost. The young Na'vi was definetely pale, his pretty face looking exhausted, but Norm didn't seem to notice the state of Tsanten's mate.

"Surely you want to go with your mate and translate for him, so I could stay and help Jake finding Anderson as the doctors won't need my help with the actual treatment."

The young Na'vi remained silent, he just nodded and followed his Mate and the tgwo humans into the building.

Now finally Norm seemed to realize that something was wrong with Aketuan. "Uh, what happened? Neytiri ? What's wrong with him?"

"Maybe I tell you later," the future Tsahik replied, " I have to think about this."

Jake looked questioningly at his mate but she only shook her head. " I should meditate now. We will talk later."

"Of course, my Love! ", Jake answered, wise enough not to inquire further for the reason of her concern right now.

After she went away towards the gardens, Norm said to Jake: " Well you wanted to see Anderson...I think, the best is when I simply call him over radio.", pointing at his own communication unit on hisy girdle.

"Ok, go on... And before you ask, I know just as much as you what's going on. Tsanten said he had a vision, but he didn't said , about what the vision was.."

"Oh..," said Norm. "But well, I try to speak with Anderson now."

Anderson promised to come to the avatar compound in fifteen or twenty minutes and Jake asked Norm : "Well, if we have to wait, we should make good use of the time and you could tell me about these secret records Grace made."


	22. Chapter 22

**Disclaimer: I don't own Avatar or Pandora and I don't make any profit by writing this.**

**Chapter 22**

"So, please go on, Norm tell me about these secret files." Jake leaned forward and looked intedly at his friend," Is it a good thing or a bad thing?"

"Well, if the RDA would still be here, then it would be a bad, a very bad thing, if these files were made known to these criminals. As long as the common attitude among them was that the Na'vi were simply 'blue monkeys'," he sighed," Well the situation wasn't nice but at least.."

"So tell me, what found Grace out?" asked Jake patiently.

"Did she tell you something about the school?"

"Hmhm, she told me about Neytiri and Sylwanin, and the incident with the sec-ops. Eywa, five children and youths murdered in cold blood!" Jake shook his head.

"I mean, about the time before, when everything was still ok."

"She just said that the children were so fast learners that she couldn't keep up with teaching them English."

"That's right. Look, Grace wasn't a qualified teacher, She simply began with an pre school program which was originally developed for non-English speaking immigrant children. You know, playing with blocks which had letters imprinted, reading from picturebooks to them and so on. The Na'vi children had much fun with the blocks - and then Grace saw that they'd learned the letters on them, practically at the drop of a hat. Grace didn't notice this before the children began to write on the table on their own - ten days after she gave them the blocks. They simply compared the signs on the blocks with the signs in the picturebooks and realized on their own that it were symbols for language. The children of the weavers explained Grace geometry before she could show them simple arithmetics."

Norm paused shortly. "Finally Grace asked some of the avatar drivers for help. Ramon, you know, the linguist, helped her to develop an improved language teaching program. And Raimund and Oxana wanted to have a look at the children. And at the end it was Raimund who decided to run some tests with the children - an CFT , an culture fair intelligence test- to be exactly. There were nineteen children in Grace's school. In relation to their physical and mental maturity one would say, in the age between eight and sixteen. But - you now that Na'vi mature faster than humans?"

When Jake nodded, Norm continued: " So, in earth terms this children would be between five and ten or eleven years old. As with nearly everything at school the children had their fun with the test. The only problem was to explain them that everyone had to work alone. They finished it in no time and Raimund thought that they couldn't have solved the items properly in that short time. But when he evaluated the test, he had to repeat the procedure tree times. He simply couldn't believe the result. No-one of the nineteen children had an IQ lower than 140. Oxana explained this with their fast maturing. A Na'vi childhood is short. And this means: learn fast or die young. And for fast learning you need intelligence."

Norm sighed: " Can you imagine the consequences for the Na'vi if the RDA would ever hear about Raimund's experiment?"

Jake frowned : " No blue monkeys but fast learners. And fast learners are dangerous enemies. The RDA would have tried to extinct them instead trying to make them into slaves."

"And they wouldn't give a fuck if they had to use legal or illegal means.", amended Norm.

"Who knows of the whole thing?", asked the former avatar.

"Only me, Oxana, Raimund and Max.", shrugged Norm.

"And this should stay so. As long as the RDA exists, this information means an additional danger for the people. As long as people on earth think that we are helpless, clueless primitives, we may perhaps get help from them.", stated Jake.

"Jake, are you referring to the activists?...that's...Your brother was one of them!"

"That's what humankind thaught me!", snapped Jake.

"And yes, my brother was one of them and he payed with his life for that! The activists should have known that he wasn't a warrior, and that they needed a soldier for this task! But, noo, they thought of the Na'vi the same way as the RDA. Teach them how to use a gun, that's enough to fight! Let the activists be the good guys who pity the poor clueless primitives who got slaughtered by the RDA! And then the activist could come up with a treaty and press the UN to accept it. A treaty, which the People would have never accepted because here Eywa makes the rules and this is our land! ", the Na'vi leader hissed.

They saw Andreson approaching at the compound, smiling as he was most of the time.

"There is one of your credulous activists. Do you really think, he would kill a Na'vi, only because he learned that one of the People isn't a helpless 'blue monkey'?"

"Norm..", called Jake, regretting, but the anthropologist stood up and went away without saying any further word.

"What was this about?", asked the elder man curiously, " But maybe I should better mind my own business.", he smiled.

Jake sighed:"Look, we had an argument, and I'm afraid, I said something - rude about the activists."

Anderson grinned: " I'm now for twenty years involved in the movement. Most of them are really good guy - if sometimes a bit simple-hearted, maybe. But believe me, I met as well real assholes among them."

"So, when did you had the last contact?"

"It's been for more than six months now since I managed for the last time to hack myself into the superluminal signal. And for about the same time there were no incoming messages.", Anderson shrugged, "Thesr long delays between two contacts aren't real unusual though. Sometimes I don't have the oportunity to send and even more often, my contacts on earth have to move to another place - or get imprisoned...But, what was it you wanted to talk with me about?"

"Oh, just two little things. First I'd like to ask you if you could drill a hole in these stones," the Na'vi said and took the pair of blue stones out of his carrynet.

"No prob! Just say me the diameter and which way I should make the bore."

"Lengthways please and the diameter..hm," Jake thought of the strings on his own singing cord. Probably Tsanten's was about the same, "Maybe four mm's?"

Anderson nodded: " This are pretty stones. If you want, I could polish them as well."

The Na'vi shook his head, smiling:" They should stay as they are. But thanks a lot for your efforts."

"Oh, as I said, no prob. Will you use them for a necklace or so?"

Jake decided that he had to make good for his previous thoughts about the activists and said: " No. They are for a singing cord. For Tsanten's personal singing cord and for my own one, to be exactly. It's like a kind of biography, you know?

"Wow, they are fitting together. It was a twinned stone?" Anderson marvelled about the set of turquoise coloured stones.

"Fitting together like brothers.", said Jake.

"Then this is a great honour for me. I will bring them back this afternoon. But what was the second thing you wanted to ask me about?" said Anderson lowly.

"Oh, it's actually a request from Meuia. You remember Meuia?", the former avatar queried.

"But of course! Your radio operator. He's a great guy! What does he want?"

"Books. First, he would like to read the handbook of the Yang MR344 mobile radio station and, second, he'd like to read a book about radio transmission in general. Do you have something like this in printed form?" replied Jake.

"That's cool. You know, all the handbooks exist in printed form and I have a complete radio operator's course too -including theory and everything."

Jake laughed: "Then I hope, that on the form for the radio operator's licence is enough space for Meuia's complete family name!"

Anderson laughed: " If he wants a diploma I'll make one for him, with space enough for his full family name and the name of his ancestors, if he wants that."

With that he got up, waved to Jake and left.

Jake shook his head and thought: 'Will they ever understand?'


	23. Chapter 23

**Disclaimer: I don't own Avatar or Pandora and I don't make any profit by writing this.**

**Chapter 23**

Jake was about to call Anderson back and ask him some further questions, when Atan'eko approached him. Jake sighed inwardly. Well, his questions would have to wait until afternoon, when he would met the activist again. He asked the old cook of the Tipani, trying not to show how stressed he felt right now: "What is it?"

"Did you had breakfast already, Olo'Eyctan?", replied the old man respectfully. When Jake shook his head and stated that he wanted to eat when his mate returned from her meditation, Atan'eko said lowly: "You are very much like Sänume. Do you know that?"

Jake looked surprised at him and shook his head again, then the old man continued:" See, when she has to deal with big issues and cares about the future, she refuses to eat too. And I must know this, as I'm the one to bring her the meals for many, many years now. I think it is a sign that an Olo'Eyctan truly loves his people and cares for them. But you have even two clans to take care for, as it seems to me. And these are difficult times, we live in right now."

"You are right. Difficult times, indeed. I don't know what will happen if the tawtute return. And they will return, that's for sure.", said Jake.

"And do you know when they will return?", asked the cook.

"Yes, the next ship will arrive in about seven months or so... ", replied Jake , still lost in his own thoughts.

The old man said impishly: "Hm, that's more than enough time for a breakfast, I think!"

"But my mate...",countered Jake helplessly.

"I have prepared for her a fine breakfast with vegetables and fried Teylu, the perfect breakfast for a pregnant woman. She's a future Tsahik, you don't know when she will return from her meditation.", and then he gave Jake a bowl, "Here, that's Pxorna' porridge, sweetened with nectar and some fruits added."

Jake took the bowl and the spoon, thanked the cook and began to eat obediently.

"So, you know Sänume for a very long time now ?", he asked the old Na'vi curiously.

"Yes, we are of the same age.", nodded Atan'eko, looking somewhat whistfully.

Jake gulped the mush down, looked at his conversational partner thoughtfully and asked him finally: " Would you like to tell me what happened to Sänume's mate?"

The old cook sighed and answered: "As everybody says, he was a very gifted Tsahik. Everybody could see it, not only the old Tsahik. And so - Sänume and him mated. Nonetheless, his heart belonged to the hunt. But when his gift was discovered in a young age and it was decided that he was to be mated with Sänume, his parents prevented him from catching an Ikran. Then Sänume's father felt his strength diminishing - you must know, that Sänume was born unusually late in the life of her parents - and his daughter had to took up his duties. It was the time of the year when the big herds of the Talioang went on their semiannual migration - it was the time of the big hunt. He didn't had an Ikran, but he was despite of his young age already a master of hunting the Talioang from the back of a Pa'li. He insisted to take part on that hunt. He said, it would be his last hunt ever. The Tsahik was against it, but finally he managed to talk everyone else into let take him part in that hunt. And then...", the old man sighed," He fell of his Pa'li. The whole Talioang herd, two hundreds or more, trampled above him. And we - the butcherers and the cooks were the ones who collected the parts of him. There wasn't much left. What we found, we wrapped in big leaves and brought it to the Olo'Eyctan, the Tsahik and his parents. Sänume broke down and she didn't recovered before her mother forced her to do so. She stated that she never wanted to be mated again. And so, her mother found with Tanhi a new Tsahik, as a replacement of her daughter's mate. And since then it was most times me who brought Sänume the meals. Of course the clan was worrying about successors and the council of the elders tried to convince her to chose another mate. But Sänume refused to do so and promised she would look in time for a sucessor. " Atan'eko sighed. "When Aketuan and Tsanten mated and Tanhi recognized in him the next Tsahik, everybody felt relived. Tsanten would have become a good Olo'Eyctan, he is intelligent, brave and level-minded. But then he suffered an hunting accident too and all our hopes for the future were destroyed in one single moment. Sänume and the council made a new law that prohibited the future Olo'Eyctan or the future Tsahik to take part in Talioang hunts. But this didn't answered the question of our future. And then the Time of Great Sorrow came for the Omatikaya ...Some of us thought that the time for the People might be ending."

"The Tipani can stop worrying. Tsanten will be healed in about six weeks. He and his mate may return as the future Olo'Eyctan and Tsahik, if Sänume and the council wills it.", said Jake."And we will find a way to solve the problem with the Tawtute. You must know, that travelling to Eywa'eveng is difficult for them and takes a lot of time. And there are people on 'rrta who are against a war, who are allies of the Na'vi."

Jake paused shortly, getting a feeling that the old man might be a bit more than a cook. " When you return to your clan, you may speak about these things with Sänume, Tanhi and the council, in which you are a member as I suppose."

Atan'eko grinned broadly, showing his still impressive canines: "As a matter of fact, I'm the head and the speaker of the council. You are a very good Olo'Eyctan, despite your young age." Then the old man frowned: " Actually we should return right now to our Hometree. The news are too important to let the clan wait for them. But at first we have to bring the food to your clan as thy need it urgently."

"Honorable Atan'eko, you won't need to travel to the Tree of Souls. My mate and me will return probably tomorrow. We can take the food with us in the Kunship, so it would be faster at our camp and you could travel immediatly back to the Tipani. You don't need to worry about Tsaten and Aketuan. Brenda, the healer said, they should stay here until he's healed. The people here will do everything possible that may help Tsanten to recover. They prepared even a small water basin for him, because exercises in the water will help him to get back faster the use of his tail."

"So that is what the water basin is for!", laughed Atan'eko. "We wre already wondering about it." Being serious again, he said: " The people here take good care of our future Olo'Eyctan. They really try to make good for what their bad brothers did to the people." He looked at Jake and continued: "So it is decided. We will wait until Tsanten is awake again and we can be sure that all is well with him. Then we will return to Hometree. I will talk to Sänume that she sents two hunters on Ikran to this place. They can hunt at more remote place were they may find Yeriks. And of course I will tell them to share the meat with the Uniltaronyu. It seems to me, they have some difficulties to feed themselves."

"Indeed, they have.", confirmed Jake and grinned, "They even tried to eat Fwampop."

"Oh, then their situation is worser than I thought.", snorted Atan'eko. Does they know how to preserve meat?"

When Jake nodded, thinking of the icehouses in Hell's Gate, the old cook said: " Then we will see that they will get some stashes of meat. But this cannot be a solution for the rest of their lifes."

"Of course you are right, " replied Jake, " But this has to wait until the Omatikaya are settled in a new Hometree.

"Hmm, did you have already looked for one?" asked the Na'vi elder.

"Yes. While I was recovering, our hunters found three trees which might be appropriate the become our new home. But one of them is quite close to the Tipani's territory, I'm afraid.", said Jake.

"Oh, we wouldn't mind that - not if the Olo'Eyctans of the Omatikaya and the Tipani are brothers.", Atan'eko smirked, " Could you give me a description of that tree?"

"I can tell you what the hunters told me," replied Jake, " Well, it is ..."

And while Jake explained the Tipani elder the position of the tree, the old man nodded once in a while.

"Ah, I know, which tree you mean. Not bad, not bad really. Hmm..., but..."murmured Atan'eko.

"But ?" asked the Olo'Eyctan of the Omatikaya.

"Well...I have to admit that we hunt in that region, when the game in our territory is diminishing. But, please, " he lifted his hands, "of course we wouldn't hunt there anymore if the Omatikaya would chose this tree as their new home. There's only one thing I'd like to say. Inthat region there are lots of game. many Yerik and Talioang. But, do you know what this means?"

When Jake looked at the older men questioningly, Atan'eko said: " Much prey means many predators. The Nantang wouldn't be a problem, but in the last season, we found traces of at least three Palulukan who were fighting for that territory."

" I thank you. We will think about this when we will visit the possible hometrees."

Jake made a mental note to avoid to chose this tree as Hometree if possible. Of course Atan'eko wouldn't have lied to him, but maybe he overindulged the thing with the Thanators to save the Tipani's secret reserve for them. He knew that a big river was flowing through the territory of the Tipani, which caused floodings two times in a year.

"I will keep that in mind, when we are chosing our new home.", Jake confirmed again and smiled at the elder Na'vi, that clever fox. Just a moment later a thought came into his mind: 'What the hell was a fox?"

"Are you feeling well, Olo'Eyctan?", asked Atan'eko, looking anxious at Jake.

Yes, yes...",answered Jake. But it seemed he didn't manage to assure the Tipano elder of his well being.

But just when Atan'eko opened his mouth to say something, Brenda and Max were leaving the building and ran towards them.

"Jake, Jake, it worked!", called the blonde avatar medic.

In a moment's time Jake was on his feet: "Really ? You can say this already for sure?"

Brenda nodded, looking at Max's happy face: " Yes! The first group of nanites are already dissolving the scar tissue. And the second group, which shall enforce the stemcells to build up new nerves are working too!" Then she paused: " Although I'm happy that I decided to induce a full anesthesia as Na'vi vertebrae aren't quite the same as human ones. I needed two attempts to give him the shot. But in the end in worked. Tsanten will sleep for some hours, but there are chances that he will notice the first effects of the treatment when he will awake.", gasped Brenda.

While she was recovering, Jake translated everything she said for Atan'eko, who nearly cried tears of joy when he understood the good news.

Jake took in a deep breath: " You don't know what you just did for securing the future of the Tipani, not to mention for the life of a man who is very close to me."

After Brenda said: "Please, don't mention it. It's the least we could do, after all this things the RDA did to them!", Max harrumphed. But what he wanted to say was drowned in the sheer cries of joy of the Na'vi, when the the head of the Tipani elder's council told them that Tsanten would recover again.

"Errm, Jake ? Jake?" asked the head of the science lab carefully.

""Yes, Max, what is it?" Jake finally asked.

"Well, about our attempts to contact earth..". he began.

"Yes, Max ?" asked Jake intendedly.

"Nothing so far, no answere from them - neither from earth nor from the ships." said the scientist, "But Amy succeded in decoding some of the emails for Selfridge. And one of them sounds really interesting."

"So, please tell me!", whispered Jake.


	24. Chapter 24

**Disclaimer: I don't own Avatar or Pandora and I don't make any profit by writing this.**

**Autor's note: Well, errmm, I don't want to pester you with demands for reviews, but to be honest, I enjoy them immensly. :-) And aside of that, they help me with continuing the story and of course, they are always a motivation. Please feel free to criticize. I'm always thankful for critique as long as it's constructive critique.**

**Chapter 24**

"Are you ok?", queried the scientist.

"Just a bit tired. Please, go on!"

Giving the former avatar a doubtful glance, Max said: "If you say so...Ok, the email was received at the tenth of May, just a few days before the Venture Star arrived. The RDA headquarter announced that the start of the next ISV had been delayed - for an indefinite time. Allegedly due to technical problems, But I bet that is a lie. First, whenever there was a start delayed due to technical problems, they indicated the approximated time of the delay. and the last time this happened was more than fifteen years ago. Second, there was an forecast concerning extreme solar activity for the next few months, including protuberances and heavy EM storms, so that the interstellar traffic had to be completely delayed for some time. They gave up their only chance to launch the ISV for the next few months! If you ask me, that's more than just a bit fishy."

"They're going to lose lots of money by doing this...", mused Jake," Can you think of another reason for the delayed start? "

The scientist shook his head. " No idea, I'm breaking my head trying to find another reason, but there's nothing I could think of."

"And they don't want to talk with us." muttered Jake. " Did you try to contact other places than earth or the ISVs? The mars colony maybe?"

"The mars ? ", asked Max pensively, "No, not yet. Wait...if Anderson could hack the superluminal signal, I could try to contact Jackson. That's a colleague of me who works on the terraforming project there. I think, I will have a talk with Anderson and Amy about this."

Brenda interrupted their talk : "Jake, you are looking pale and your bioluminiscent spots seem to be dim. I want you to undergo a complete medical check up."

Before Jake had a chance to object with the avatar medic, she said vigorously: " No! Don't try to argue with me! Not even seven weeks passed since you underwent that strange rite and nobody knows exactly what happened with your body then. I want to do a proper brain scan as well to see what's going on with the nano transmitters which were implanted in your brain when your body was in embryonic stage. "

"Listen, I'm just a bit tired! That's all! And Max did already a checkup the morning after I passed through the Eye of Eywa." countered Jake, sounding somewhat huffish.

"Tired, Jake? You just got up an hour ago! And the capacity of the portable mecical diagnosis unit is rather limited. Let's go into the MEDBAY. Now!"

Jake didn't had the time to continue arguing with Brenda. Suddenly his eyes rolled back and he broke down. The last thing he heard were the horrified cries of the Na'vi.

Brenda yelled in her communicator: " Two avatars with a guerney to the Tipani camp! Immediatly! We have a situation here!"

Then she knelt at Jake's side, felt his pulse , lifted his eylids and looked alarmed at Max.

"What's happening with him?" asked the scientist.

"I don't know. Fetch Neytiri! I have to ask her questions. She's the whole time with him. She must have noticed if something unusual happened with him.", commanded the medic.

"Where is Neytiri?", asked Max the Na'vi . "She went there!", replied Atan'eko and pointed in direction of some small trees at the end of the gardens, "You stay here and help the healer! I will fetch Neytiri!" And without waiting for Max's answer the old Na'vi run towards the trees, surprisingly fast for his adavanced age.

The avatars were fast too. Before Atan'eko returned with Neytiri, Davies and van der Vaart, an ecologist arrrived and they laid Jake on the guerney.

"Into MEDBAY 2! Hurry up!", the medic called, then Brenda turned to Max, " Come! I need you to assist me with the exams!"

Max explained one of the shocked Na'vi were Neytiri could find them and jogged with Brenda and the avatars towards the sciencemod.

Not even one minute later Jake was in the MEDBAY and, while Max placed the electrodes on Jake, Brenda filled four tubes with Jake's blood and bellowed to Steve Mancuso: "I need a complete blood count! And search the bloodsamples for everything what should'nt be in his blood, especially organic and inorganic toxines! And, damn, would you please hurry up!"

The she put on an oxygen nasal cannula on Jake's face and asked Max: " So, what says the scanning?"

"Low bloodpressure, but aside from that, there's nothing noticeable."

" Look for the brain scan! Change to the micro mode, which should show us the nano-transmitters. I'll give him some analeptica for the bloodpressure", said Brenda and after she gave Jake an injection she went to Max to have a look at the holopad screen.

After a short look she called: "That's it!"

"What?", said Max, "I can't see any nano transmitters!"

"And that's exactly what I was afraid of. Seemingly they were destroyed during this 'Mind Transfer' and are dissolving into their molecular components." Then she yelled in her communicator:" Steve! What's going on with the bloodcounts?" Then she nodded and thanked her assistant. " Probably I'm right. Where's Neytiri? "

Just when Max was about to leave the room to look out for Jake's mate, she rushed in, together with Atan'eko and Norm.

"My Jake!" yelled Neytiri and run to the guerney where her mate lied, still unconscious.

"Did Jake's behavior changed during the last weeks? asked the medic.

Both, Norm and Neytiri nodded and the anthropologist said: " He seemed to be short-tempered and sulkily. and he was close to a nervous breakdown - no, he was suffering a nervous breakdown when he carried Neytiri to the Samson." replied Norm.

"Yes, I noticed that." replied Brenda. "It's an effect of the toxins which are set free by the dissolving nano transmitters."

While Max went to Neytiri and tried to explain what happened, Brenda called Steve again. " We need the hemofiltration equipement here! Now!" Then she went to Neytiri and Norm, while Atan'eko stayed back, looking with sorrow at the young leader of the Omatikaya.

Neytiri wasn't able to answer Brenda's questions. She squatted at the guerney and stroked her mates face, fighting off tears. Brenda went to her side and laid her hand assuringly on Neytiri's shoulder. "Please, calm down. In a couple of days he will be well again."

Meanwhile Steve came in with the medical equipement. Brenda took it from his hands rolled the stand with the pump and the cartouche to the guerney and prepared both of Jake's arms for the treatment.

"I'm inducing an hemofiltration now", she explain to Norm. "That's a kind of dialysis and the most effective and fast way to get the toxines out of his body."

"Brenda, I didn't know that this nano transmitters could be harmful at all." said Max.

"The only information we have about that is more than thirty years old, from humans who got these transmitters implanted to control prostheses, because that was for what the nano transmitters were developed first, long before Lovecraft had the idea to use them for his 'Dark Dreamer' project. But these humans needed only ten or twelve of the transmitters to control an arm or leg prosthesis. An avatar needs several hundreds of them implanted in his brain so that the operator is able to controll it and get the full input at the same time."

While saying this, Brenda inserted the needles in Jake's arms and watched as the machine began it's work.

Neytiri looked painfully at her mate who lied conciousless on the guerney, connected with wires and flexible tubes to machines. This was different to what happened to her two days before, She had been only sleeping then. But this was like the horrible moment after the battle, when she hold the human form of Jake in her arms, thinking for a moment that he had died.


	25. Chapter 25

**Disclaimer: I don't own Avatar or Pandora and I don't make any profit by writing this.**

**Chapter 25**

Thirty minutes later Jake came round again and looked confusedly at his mate who was holding his hand: "What happened? Did I passed out?" Then he noticed the all the tubes and electrodes on him and Brenda, Norm and Max standing at the guerney whe he lied.

"Yes", she nodded smiling, feeling relieved as he was seemingly better now, "But the danger is over now. Isn't it, Brenda?"

Brenda looked at Jakes face intededly: "Yeah, but you were damn lucky that you where staying here in Hell's Gate when it happened. The nano transmitters are dissolving into particles and this caused a chronic poisoning what reached a dangerous peak right now.I put you on a dialysis to filtrate the nano particles out of your blood."

"Dialysis..?", Jake murmured irrtadedly.

"Don't you remember that word?" , asked Brenda and cast an alarmed look at Max.

"No.", the Na'vi shook slowly his head.

""Like I said, it's a method of cleaning your blood from toxines. Do you understand what caused the poisoning?" queried the medic.

"Umh, the nano transmitters...the little thingies in my head which allowed my human self to connect with this body before I passed through the Eye of Eywa?"

"Exactly!", replied Brenda, " How are you feeling right now?"

"Just tired." murmured Jake and closed his eyes.

"Then you should sleep for a while." Brenda smiled and nodded the Mancuso. "You'll watch him like a hawk while we go for a short walk. " She looked meaningfully at the door and Max and Norm were heading for it. Then she solicited Jake's mate: "Neytiri? Would you accompany us?" When the future Tsahik hesitated, Brenda assured her: "Look, he's already sleeping. And we won't be away for long. But I'd like to talk to you, ask you some questions. Please, it's really important."

Before Neytiri could answer, Atan'eko, who remained the whole time quietly standing at the wall asked in Na'vi:" What is it about?"

When Max explained him that they wanted to go outside to talk about the reasons for Jake's disease and that they had to ask his mate several questions,while Steve would watch over Jake, the old Na'vi said to Neytiri:" Don't worry! I will stay here and take care that this tawtute", he pointed at Steve," doesn't hurt your mate."

Neytiri nodded and thanked him. Then she cast a loving glance at Jake and left the rom together with the tree humans.

When they were outside, Max asked Brenda:"So, what do you think?"

"I'm not sure what to think. When he didn't remember the word dialysis I was afraid that he got a brain damage. But then he proved that he understood the concept how the link between driver and avatar worked..." she shrugged.

Neytiri spoke up: " Dialysis...Is that an important word in Inglisi? Because I can't remember Grace using it."

"Let's say it is an important word if you live on earth. Because the air, rain and drinking water on our planet are so polluted, very many people get sick and need this kind of treatment these days. Nearly everywhere you find houses in which dialysis is offered. So, yes it's a word everybody nows."

The future Tsahik nodded slowly and looked at the anthropologist: " Norm, did you speak about this with Jake while you were with him?"

"Umh, no. Why should I ? We had more important things to talk about.", he shrugged.

"But you spoke with him about these nano trans...mitters?" Neytiri queried.

"Oh yes, I teached him how to induce the linking process, I mean how to operate the machine...", Norm replied.

Neytiri nodded again and said: " I think, I know what is happening with my mate: He is forgetting his former life, his life on earth - exept the memories about his family and maybe what he learned after he joined the jarhead clan. When I join him in Tsaheylu, I can sometimes get glimps of his former life, but most of the pictures are...like in a fog."

"Yes, that's it!", called Norm, " And I bet it hasn't anything to do with the nano particle poisoning!"

"Why do you think so?", asked Brenda.

"Because it already began long before he passed through the Eye of Eywa! He complained in his video logs about disorientation - which is quite normal for an avatar driver who's linked everyday for more than fourteen or fifteen hours. But then he mentioned that he can hardly remember his life on earth. He enjoys his life here on Pandora so much, that his former life must seem to him rathe poor, maybe even traumatic, considering the circumstances of the last years of his life there. His mind reacts to this fact by simply repressing the memories in question. It's not because of the poisoning, it's a psychic reaction!", then he laughed, "I can remember, how difficult it was at first to teach him how to speak the 'R' like the Na'vi...although he learned actually the language quite fast, he simply couldn't get rid of his American 'R'. And now he rolls the 'R' even when he's speaking English."

Neytiri smiled, thinking of when she slapped Jake in the face because he simply didn't stop to pronounce 'nari' like 'na'vi'.

"But the mood fluctuations are a fact, or aren't they?" asked the medic.

Neytiri said seriously: "Yes. Jake has always been ...oh, what is the word? ftxavang ?"

Norm nodded, adding helpful: " Passionate."

"Yes, passionate and ... showing his feelings openly. But never before I saw him really out of his mind. When he carried me to the kunsip, he was screaming like a wounded animal. It terrified me.", said Neytiri.

"And how was he in his human form?" asked Brenda, looking at Norm.

"Uh, I don't know. I'm not a psychatrist. But...I think, he was depressive. Or maybe suffering of PTSD...I don't know. But his behaviour remembered me sometimes of my father's brother. He was diagnosed with depression." said Norm.

"Please, would you explain that word, 'depression'. And what is 'PTSD'?" queried the future Tsahik.

After Brenda explained both terms, Neytiri shook her head: " I know these diseases, they happens to some of the ours too, but Jake doesn't suffer of them. He enjoys life! "

"Now, that he's a Na'vi. But when he was human? I don't think so." said Norm.

"Ok,ok, I'd say, we clarified now that his intellectual abilities weren't damaged bey the poisoning - which put my mind a damn lot at ease. Nonetheless I will do further brain scans, tests and blood counts until I'm sure that he's recovered completely. And I will repeat the dialysis in a two week mode until I'm sure that absolutely no nano particles temained in his body anymore. And additionally to this, he'll get a vitamin B treatment that will help his neurons to recover.", closed Brenda the discussion.

"I remember the vitamins from Grace's teaching at the school. Which kind of vitamin B do you mean?", asked Neytiri.

"Vitamin B12," but I think the artificial medicament I can produce her will suffice.", answered Brenda.

"No! The gifts of Eywa are always better. I have to speak with the Tsahik anyway, so I'm going to use the radio. And I will tell her that all the livers of the venison should be spared for Jake and that she should send a hunter to bring it!", Neytiri stated vigorously, " I will prepare it for my mate."

"Neytiri, please, I respect you, but for the healing effect he would have to eat it raw!", demanded Brenda, reaching the end of her patience.

"I myself thaught him to drink the blood of the prey and he ate raw leaver too, as any other taronyu did! He won't hesitate to eat it when I tell him that it is necessaryly for his recovery!", hissed Neytiri, now definetly getting at the end of her rope.

Before Brenda could argue furthermore with the young Na'vi female, the door of the science mod was flunged open, an outraged Atan'eko was shouting: "Srung, rutxe, srung!", holding an half conscious Steve by the back of his neck.

"What?...What did he say?" shouted Brenda to Norm, looking shocked at the human dangling of the arm of the Na'vi, while Neytiri was already storming inside the building.

"He said: "Help!", shouted Norm, then he did run too through the open door. Brenda and Max followed him closely.

When they were inside Neytiri's and Jake's room, the medical diagnosis unit was beeping frantically, indicating that Jake's heart was close to a breakdown, but the most shocking sight was that Jake's eyes were wide open and his lips were not purple as they should be, but azure blue. Neytiri was at his side, crying, "My Jake, my Jake!"

Brenda jumped on the guerney and tried to induce a cardiac massage. " Max! Max! Into the pharmaceutical magazine and get some Amiodaron, the version for avatars! Norm, give me the defibrillator! Over there. in the red box! And you", she looked at Atan'eko," keep hold of this criminal!"

Norm did translate quickly, then he found the red box.

Max run away through the door which led to the inner part of the building and Norm found the box and gave it over to Brandy who ripped it open, took out the electrodes and placed them on Jake's breast. "Go away!" the medic shouted at Neytiri while jumping of the guerney, "GO AWAY NOW! It's for your mate's life!", she shouted when Neytiri didn't want to leave.

"Twenty-one, twenty-two, twenty-three", then Brenda pressed the button of the little box in her hand .

Jake's chest reared up, but the frantical beeping didn't change. Then Brenda tried it a second time: "Twenty-one, twenty-two, twenty-three" and pressed again the button. Again Jake reared up and Neytiri cried, but this time the beeps of the diagnosis unit seemed to calm down. Jake was breathing again.

Max stormed in, holding a handful of viales in his fist: "This? Is this the right stuff?"

Brenda nodded, grasped one of the ampullas, took a syringe from a tablet and gave Jake an injection.

Two minutes later the vital signs of the young Na'vi leader were on a normal level again. His eyes were closed again and his breathing was regularly.

Brenda gasped: " Oh my god!"


	26. Chapter 26

**Disclaimer: I don't own Avatar or Pandora and I don't make any profit by writing this.**

**Authoe's note: Oooh, sorry I forgot...For the one's who don't know the song "Guantanamera": Please look in youtube for The version of Pete Seeger. Because that's exactly what Ramon sung under the shower. :-)  
**

**Chapter 26**

Brenda took a deep breath, looked again at the display of the diagnosis unit and nodded contededly. The colour of Jake's face was much better, his breathing normalized and his lips had again their natural purple colour. The medic padded comfortingly the shoulder of a still reeling Neytiri who kneed at the side of the guerney and said softly: " It's ok. He's out of danger. Probably he will awake in a few minutes and ask us again what happened."

Then she turned around , looking sternly at Atan'eko who was still holding a squirming Steve in his strong arms and snarled: "But I'd like to know too what just happened! Steve ?"

The second avatar medic compressed his lips and looked at her steadfastly.

"Norm, could you please ask Atan'eko about what just happened?"

Norm nodded willingly and asked the old Na'vi. After a short exchange the anthropologist looked again at Brenda and translated what Atan'eko had told him: " He said, that after we left, Steven had smiled at him, then he went to Jake. He took something out of his pocket. After Atan'eko's description, it must have been a syringe, because right after that, he inserted it on Jake's IV", he pointed at the IV were the cleaned blood was led back into Jake's body. Right after that, the alarm went on, Jake's eyes gaped wide open and he gasped. Then Atan'eko grabbed Steve on his neck and run outside, calling for help."

Brenda didn't reply. She looked around the room. Then she grabbed a glove, put it on and crawled under the guerney. When she stood up again, she hold an empty syringe in her gloved hand.

She went again to Atan'eko and her colleague, waving slowly the syringe before Steve's exopack and asked very lowly: " What is this?" When Mancuso didn't answer, she shouted: " WHAT IS THIS?"

But Steve remained still, looking blankly at her. Brenda deposed the syringe in an empty kidney basin and returned , moving nearly like a snake now. : " Sooo, you don't want to talk with me?"

Then she spun around, fast as a lightning and gave Steve an hard sidekick into his groin.

Mancuso groaned, he rolled his eyes and retched then in his exopack. Max shouted terrified : " Brenda! No! Stop it!"

"Ok. ok," growled Brenda. Then she grabbed her communicator, and typed a number .

" Is that you, Amy? Ok, now listen to me: You will go immediatly into Mancuso's quarters. You will hack his computer and, very important, try everything you can do to restore deleted files! Every kind of deleted files! No...I'll tell you later. Lets just say we've found a sleeper here...an RDA sleeper. Ok. Until later then!"

Then she looked at the avatar medic - now being a former avatar medic - who made a gurgling noise, threatening to suffocate on his own vomit which accumulated in his exopack.

Brenda approached him again, snatched the access card hanging around his neck and put it in her pocket.

"Stop trying to breath, you idiot!" and lifted the visor with her gloved hand long enough to empty the exopack and the disgusting stuff flowed down his chest.

Meanwhile Max called some of his colleagues over communicator: " Hello Chris...are you with Anderson? Ok..I want both of you to come immediatly to MEDBAY 2. When you're on your way, make a stop at the security facility and grab a pair of the handcuffs there...Yes, we've got a problem here. OK."

He sighed and looked disbelievingly at the medic. " I simply can't believe what just happened. We tried so hard to choose only reliable people and now...this!"

Brenda just shook her head tiredly an shrugged.

She went again to Neytiri and asked her if she was okay. The young Na'vi touched her belly and nodded: " He wanted to kill my mate? Why?"

"Maybe plain revenge, maybe for other reasons. Whatever it was, we will find it out.", the medic said calmly. She looked at Max and Norm: " Let's wait and see what Amy is going to find on his computer."

Maybe two minutes later Anderson and Bauer arrived and after he explained in short what happened Max orded them to handcuff Mancuso and lock him up in one of the cells in the security facility.

Atan'eko's eyes followed the two men who marched off the prisoner and he looked ruefully at Norm.

" I an so sorry. I promised to guard Toruk Makto and I failed."

"No, no you didn't fail! You couldn't know what that man was about to do. In spite of that, you reacted quick and you did the right thing, namely to catch the assasin and call for help! If somebody is to be accused for failing, then we. One of us should have stayed here with you. But anyway...you resqued Jake's life and that's the only thing counting! There's absolutely no reason for you to accuse yourself!"

The old Na'vi glanced at Norm and sighed: "If you say so. Jakesully is safe now?"

"Yes! Thank to your help he's safe now. And we will try everything to find out the resons for this assault. I just hope, nobody else of the humans here is involved."

The old Na'vi leaned his head on the wall tiredly, but recoverd soon. "As I understood, the sawtute may return?"

"Yes, I'm afraid they will."

"Then this tawtute didn't want to kill Jakesully, he wanted to kill Toruk Makto!"

The anthropologist looked wide-eyed at Atan'eko: " You think, Mancuso had the order to prepare an invasion by killing Toruk Makto?"

Atan'elo nodded. " As I understood, you have means to talk with the people of rr'ta, even over this long distance. What, if this man got an order fron the Olo'eyctan of the tawtute on rr'ta?"

"Oh my good...I'd never thought of that!"

Then Norm shouted: " Max, Brenda! We have to check if there were any incoming and outgoing messages to earth!"

Max tried to calm him. " Amy was working on that too. But she can do only so much and the most important thing now is to check Mancuso's computer. And maybe there's a chance that she find traces of that kind of communication. But you're right. I think, I will set Anderson to check every traces of communication with earth. Good idea, Norm!"

"IT WAS HIS IDEA!" thundered Norm, pointing at Atan'eko. " When will you stop to see them as clueless primitives?"

This time, it was Brenda's turn to stare wide-eyed at the shouted conversation

"Norm, I'm sorry!" Max moved his hands in a pacifying gesture, " I never wanted to give that impression. But as you know, they are basically a neolithic culture. They don't know anything about long distance communication. But please, if I should have offended him, could you give him my apologies?"

"Max, they know perfectly about the concept of long range communication! They can communicate by using the trees of voices and they have an really elaborate kind of communication by using their bullroarers, which are much more advanced than anything of that kind ever used on earth in the past! If you continue to see them as primitives, you'll never understand them, you'll never fit in. Don't you remember at all what Grace and Raimund found out about the Na'vi?"

"Wouldn't you think that it would be better to talk later about this, maybe in a less tense moment?", asked Max carefully.

Norm stormed into the airlock which led into the building and slammed the door behind him.

About ten hours later, when the evening sun clad the avatar compound in a rosy-golden light, Jake, Neytiri - who was now dressed again properly with an yellow coloured loincloth and a simple necklace, Tsanten, Aketuan and Atan'eko were seated around the campfire of the Tipani and eating the Teylu Jake had gathered yesterday.

"Eywa, what a day, " said Tsanten, looking at Jake, " I am close to my healing and you were nearly killed."

The former avatar shrugged and asked: "Do you have already some feeling in your tail?" Jake asked.

Tsanten grinned slightly, looking at his mate who was beaming with happiness: " I feel some stings in the tip of my tail. That's a good sign, isn't it?"

"That's a damn good sign! You will recover in no time." said Jake, grinning toothily.

"And at the same time, you got sick and additionally to that, a tawtute tried to kill you," Tsanten shook his head, " Ma tsmukan, I think we both were very lucky today."

"Our great mother guarded us." replied Jake, looking at the gardens, were Ramon in his avatar was appearing, heading toward the longhouse. One member of the Tipani party, a the young huntress who assisted him with the Pa'li the day before, watched Ramon, looking towards him eagerly. This caught Jake's interest and he watched her coverdly. She sneaked slowly away from the tents and then, when she seemed to thought that nobody was watching her, she headed to the longhouse and and squatted down under the high glassless windows of the shower room, looking up with expectant glances.

Jake's ears perked up and with his fine sense of hearing he noticed that somebody turned on the shower. Ah moment later he could hear the person in question singing.

_"Yo soy un hombre sincero_

_De donde crecen la palmas..."_

Jake had to admit to himself that the man was really a great singer. He heard this old song long before, although he couldn't remeber when and where, but this version sounded really great. While Ramon was singin, the young Na'vi female climbed the building and, as soon she was able to look into the shower room she settled herself , her hands and feets clinging on the beams of the longhouse.

_"Guantanamera_

_Guajira Guantanamera..."_

Now Neytiri, Tsanten and Aketuan saw her too and all of them grinned broadly, Atan'eko just sighed and shook his head.

Amhul - that was her name as Jake remembered now, looked like a giant blue cat clinging on the longhouse and peeping through the high window. Her tail swished in delight .

"Now look at that girl!" Jake said to Neytiri and chuckled.

"Yes, she is really bold!" Neytiri smiled , but then she looked at Jake seriously. "We must tell her though, that the uniltìrantokx of this man is unable."

Jake nodded. "I'm afraid, we have to," he sighed, "I feel sorry for both of them though."

"We don't even know if ...this man..."

"His name is Ramon" added Jake helpfully.

"If Ramon is responding to Amhul's approaches at all."

Jake smiled ruefully, " I'm afraid, we have to take care of the big issues first."

"Small issues may grow faster than you think into big issues. I will talk to her afterwards."


	27. Chapter 27

**Disclaimer: I don't own Avatar or Pandora and I don't make any profit by writing this.**

**Chapter 27 **

While the Na'vi were chatting at the avatar compound, Amy demanded a meeting and Max called in every member of the small Hell's Gate community for a meeting at nine hundred pm in 'Hell's kitchen'.

When all of them had gathered at the table where they usually met, Amy said "So, just in case that somebody doesn't know about this: The avatar medics are always human medics too and they take care of the avatars as well as of their drivers. Errm, just in case somebody doesn't know."

Everybody nodded and looked at a very pale looking Amy, who held some sheets in her hands.

Max glanced at the botanist and hacker.

"So, what did you found on Mancuso's computer?"

Amy looked at Max and Norm : " Jake told you that Quaridge promised him that he would get back the use of his legs. That he would organize for him the surgery and rehabilitation and that it would be initialized and paid by the RDA as soon as Jake would have returned to earth."

Max nodded: "Yes, that's what he told me."

Amy continued: " And he , Dr. Augustine and Dr. Spellman were here in Hellsgate at the fourteenth of August?"

"Yes," nodded Norm. We were here at that day. We had a short, but annoying talk with Selfridge and after that Jake, so he told me, had a talk with Quaridge. Jake told me that Quaridge had confirmed that the RDA would pay for the treatment of his spine and that he should be actually transported to the ISV on the same day. But instead he returned with us to site twenty-six."

Amy looked at Norm and asked: " Do you think that he did had enough time for a medical check-up before you flew back?"

"NO! No way! We met alltogether at the Samson maybe thenty minutes later."

"So Jake wouldn't had any time to go to Mancuso for a medical check-up?", Amy asked.

"As I said, no way!"

Amy looked at Norm and gave him the sheet she hold between her fingers until now.

_' Medical certificate of 8-14-2154 03:45 pm_

_Jakob Allister Sully_

_No 237838999_

_avatar operator_

_former member of United States Marine Corps, Unit: Recon Marines_

_Attending physician: Dr. Steven Mancuso_

_General conspectus:_

_Corp. Sully suffers of an anorexia and amyasthenia , which isn't unusual for avatar drivers._

_Result MRT and further examination:_

_Terminal lung cancer , metastases in liver,kidneys and pancreas._

_Chances of healing: none_

_See MRT and X-rays_

_According to the clauses of the RDA contract of employment concerning a disease with less than a 60 % chance of recovery for employees who don't have a class A health insurance, Jacob Allister Sully is determined for euthanasia._

_Determined date for the euthanasia: 8-15-2154_

_Signed_

_Dr. Steve Mancuso '_

Brenda gasped: "Oh my god...This can't be true!", she shook her head: " I never thought of Mancuso that he could be such a coldblooded killer until today. That damn bastard!"

"Jake doesn't has any living relatives, does he?" Grace's former assistant said, " So there wouldn't have been anyone asking questions if Jake didn't return to earth...And after following the procedures of preparation for cryo sleep and regarding the circumstance that he was working for Quaridge, they could have told you that Sully was already on his way to the ISV without saying Goodbye."

"We must tell him that...," began Norm, but Brenda cut him off :" Oh Norm, please give him a break! Just think of what he was going through today. Quaridge is dead and Mancuso imprisoned. This can wait until tomorrow."

"But I still don't understand why Quaridge and Mancuso did this," Louise interjected.

Brenda anwered: " The costs for the surgery and the rehabilitation to fix Jake's paraplegia would have been more than 800.000 $ and if you add Jake's regular payment, Quaridge saved far more than one million dollar for the company. And what's much more important: They would have got rid of an inconveniant witness."

"The Moor has done his duty, the Moor can go." murmured Norm.

"Please, what did you said?", asked Brenda.

"Oh, it's just a quotation from a german tragedy. It means something like 'now that he's not needed anymore, he can just go'. "

"May this as it be, but we've got more serious problems know than a discussion about german literature," sighed Max, "So what's going on with Mancuso now?"

"Still sitting in his cell. I brought him dinner just an hour ago." replied Brenda snarkily.

"Oh. What did you brought him for dinner?" asked Max suspiciously.

"A bottle of water and the collected leftovers of lunch I took out of the dustbin." said Brenda and Ramon, Louise and Charles chuckled.

"You aren't serious!"

"Absolutely! I don't understand why we should feed a killer and traitor!" shouted Brenda, " If it weren't for Atan'eko, this man would have killed one of our friends today !"

"And still we have to act according to the human rights! Everyone of us! Is that understood?" thundered Max.

"Ok,ok...," muttered the cranky avatar medic.

"Amy what can you tell us about the MRT and the x-rays?" asked Max, calming himself.

"I'm sure they are from someone else. The original name and the personal number were replaced with Jake's, but in a quite clumsy manner."

"Would you please handover me the papers?" asked Brenda.

After a short look, the avatar medic confirmed: " No. These ones are definitely not from Jake. First, when I made the preparticipation evaluation with Jake, there weren't any signs of cancer. And then there's no trace of a spinal injury to be seen on these pictures. I think, Mancuso simply stole a file of one of the miners. The poor buggers died like rotten sheep here. And the company was quite eager to sentence them to euthanasia instead of sending them home. Saves a lot of money."

After Brenda said this, all of them were silent for a moment.

After an unconfortable moment of silence, Max said: " Ok, We will interrogate Mancuso in the morning. Amy, Anderson, any success yet concerning the connection to the mars colony?"

Aderson nodded: "I can make you a free range everytime. The problem will be to hack the receiving server on mars as it's controlled by the RDA."

"I think I can do that," said Amy, "But I need some sleep - at least for a couple of hours . Let's handle this tomorrow. OK?"

Max nodded: "Please, take your time, Amy. There's no use if you tackle that problem in an exhausted and tired state. And the next ship won't arrive before next year in May. So, I would suggest that we close the meeting now. I will inform Jake and Neytiri in the morning about what we found out and talked about."

"Agree," said Brenda," And I want to check on my patients now. I hope they're still awake though,"

" Would you mind if I accompany you?" asked Norm.

"No prob. Maybe Jake will listen more to you than he'd to me."

##############################################

Some minutes later Brenda and Norm put on an exopack and went to the camp of the Tipani after they discovered that Jake and Neytiri's MEDBAY was still empty.

"Hello lovebirds!" Brenda called when she saw the couple sitting among the other Na'vi at the campfire. "I hate it to sound like a chaperon, but after what happened today, I think both of you should go bed. I have to do a short check-up on both of you too."

"Yeah, you _do_ sound like a chaperon, " smirked Jake, "We'll return to the MEDBAY as soon as you told us if Amy made any discoveries." and Neytiri looked couriously at the humans.

"Oh, yes, in fact we had just a meeting to talk about what Amy found on Mancuso's computer.", said Norm.

"NORM, didn't we said that Jake and Neytiri should sleep at first and that we would them them about the meeting in the morning?"

Jake snorted. " Oh come on...Don't make such a fuss! We aren't toddlers anymore. So, please tell us about what Amy found on the comp of that guy."

Brenda sighed: " Well, I'm afraid it's not a pleasent surprise. But ok, I'll tell you..."

When the avatar medic was finished, Neytiri was outraged, but Jake only muttered: " Damn the marines esprit de corps, I should have known better. Quaridge was a son of a bitch and all I could think of that time was to become again a recon marine."

Norm interposed pensively: " I must think all the time what Atan'eko said after Brenda resqued your life. He said that they didn't want to kill Jakesully, they wanted to kill Toruk Makto."


	28. Hiatus

To my dear Dracoessa and all the other readers of Kinships:

As you know from my profile, I've been sick and meanwhile I still am again. So, I wasn't able to write for some months and during this time, somehow I lost my relation to the "Avatar" universe and could only read stories from time to time. Instead ("Thank you, Xenobia ;-) ) I've got caught in the Final Fantasy 7 universe, where I'm writing "A matter of spirit" right now.

So, "Kinships" is officially put on hiatus. I really plan to continue "Kinships" as I didn't lose my love for this story, but I can't tell you when I'll update the next chapter, especially as I don't know if I have to go to hospital for a longer time.

So you may choose among three possibilities:

a) you simply wait until I'm able to update again

b) you adopt the story (Please contact me in that case)

or c) I could mail you two chapters I've already written about later parts of the story.

In case of b or c, you need of course to have an account at ffdotnet.

Greetings

Avatar Tingal


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